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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25540876">afoot</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/vonseal/pseuds/vonseal'>vonseal</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>magic users [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>ASTRO (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Detectives, Alternate Universe - Magic, Angst, Detectives, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, Kidnapping, M/M, Magic, Magic-Users, Mystery, Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 09:41:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>65,047</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25540876</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/vonseal/pseuds/vonseal</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Nine years have passed since they first met, and things have been relatively simple and quiet. But when a dead body turns up, Police Chief Moon Bin and Head Detective Lee Dongmin must work hard to figure out who is behind both this particular murder and a string of disappearances. And when two of their own are involved, the game is truly afoot!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kim Myungjun | MJ/Park Jinwoo | Jin Jin, Lee Dongmin | Cha Eunwoo/Moon Bin, Park Minhyuk | Rocky/Yoon Sanha</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>magic users [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/689652</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>179</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>174</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>honestly this story has been three years in the making. since the end of 'elementary,' i've longed to bring this idea to life. and, finally, here it is! it's different from my initial imagination, but it's different in a GOOD way. </p><p>please enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Bin had assumed that a day off would mean he could sleep in until the afternoon and then maybe cook some sort of lunch-dinner-hybrid with Dongmin by his side. He had assumed that they would indulge in each others’ presence and watch television or make out on the couch all day long. It wasn’t often they </span>
  <em>
    <span>both</span>
  </em>
  <span> had a day off together, after all, and Bin realized that the possibilities for fun were endless.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, his plans were ruined when he woke up far earlier than he expected and checked his phone for the time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was eight in the morning, and he groaned before rolling back over and burying his face into his pillow.</span>
</p><p><span>It should have been easy enough to get back to sleep, but sleep somehow evaded him. Whenever he closed his eyes, all he could think of was work. </span><em><span>Did I finish that paperwork?</span></em> <em><span>Did I respond to the mayor’s email? Which of the job applicants should I hire?</span></em><span> He squeezed his eyes shut the best he could, and yet he remained awake.</span></p><p>
  <span>Beside him, Dongmin slept soundly. He wasn’t as bogged down with administrative details like Bin was. Dongmin’s job was to catch the bad guy and then go home. He was good at his job, too, what with his ability to read minds. His success rate was astonishing, and he was quick to finish any task required of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bin would have woken him up, but Dongmin deserved to sleep. He worked hard, and he sometimes stayed up late while waiting for Bin to come home. He was too precious to rouse from bed, and so Bin turned his back on his boyfriend and reached for his phone again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe he could text Jinwoo or Myungjun. They were often up early, even if they had days off. Children were a lot of work, and required feeding and clothing and bathing. Bin wrinkled his nose as his finger hovered over Jinwoo’s number. Kids could be gross sometimes, but Bin quite liked Jinwoo’s kids. Woojin was a rascal if Bin ever saw one, though there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that he would grow up to help save the world. He wanted to be a detective, just like his father, even if Myungjun assured everyone around that he would change his mind in a few years. Soojin was quieter, calmer, and though her lack of hearing sometimes presented Bin with a challenge, he still liked to hold her close and plaster kisses across her face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bin sighed as he sent a quick text to Jinwoo. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hi how are you and the kids?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Jinwoo would take his time to respond, as he always did, and so Bin thought next of seeing if either Minhyuk or Sanha were awake. Minhyuk surely must be; the bakery always opened so early every morning and Minhyuk never missed a day of work, unless he was sick and Sanha forced him back into bed. Sanha worked from home for some bank, monitoring their computer systems and fixing any issues that arrived. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Tech guru</span>
  </em>
  <span>, is what he proudly called it. Bin decided that was code for someone who played video games all day and got paid for it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He decided that Sanha might still be in bed, so he texted Minhyuk instead. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hi im bored what are you doing?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Minhyuk was the first one to text back. </span>
</p><p><span>[</span><em><span>from: cookie monster]</span></em> <em><span>Aren’t you off today?</span></em></p><p>
  <em>
    <span>[to: cookie monster] yeah</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>[from: cookie monster] And isn’t Dongmin off today?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>[to: cookie monster] oh my god just stop asking questions</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>[from: cookie monster] I’ll take that as a yes. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>[to: cookie monster] he’s asleep. Im bored. Pls help.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>[from: cookie monster] Wake him up. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Minhyuk didn’t respond to any more texts after that. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Some friend</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Bin thought. Fortunately, Jinwoo had texted him back and Bin was quick to open his message.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>[from: jinwoo ace detective] Hello Bin. Kids are fine. Woojin says hi.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Included was a sweet picture of Woojin, proudly showcasing a wide smile with missing teeth. Bin chuckled at the boy and quickly saved the picture to his phone in an album titled </span>
  <em>
    <span>Cutest Kids Ever</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>[to: jinwoo ace detective] Hi woojin. Wish i could come hang out. Im bored.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>[from: jinwoo ace detective] Don’t you have work?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>[to: jinwoo ace detective] no, min and i are off. Woke up early. Bored. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>[from: jinwoo ace detective] Wake him up, then. I’m sure he’d be happy to spend the morning with you!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>[to: jinwoo ace detective] there’s nothing to do in the morning.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Jinwoo didn’t respond. Bin refreshed their chat multiple times, to no avail. However, Myungjun’s name suddenly popped up, and Bin sighed as he clicked on the new message. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even before reading it, he knew that Jinwoo had discussed his predicament with Myungjun. There was no way he hadn’t. Jinwoo told Myungjun </span>
  <em>
    <span>everything</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>[from: mj] Have sex with hiM!!!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Bin grimaced.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>[to: mj] good morning myungjun.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>[from: mj] SrRsly!!! Morning sex is THE BEST sex! </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>[to: mj] then u do it</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>[from: mj] Can’t. :( kids are awake. It’s so hard to have morning sex these days so you do it in my place PLEASE. I will live it through you!!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>[to: mj] pls don’t live through my sexual adventures.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>[from: mj] it’s toooooo late, im already imagining it</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>[to: mj] GROSS DONT DO IT</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He was spared from reading whatever other nonsense Myungjun was trying to spout by a sudden shift in the mattress.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dongmin was awake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bin slapped his phone back down on the bedside table and turned, grinning as he faced Dongmin again. His boyfriend looked precious while waking up. His cheeks were always slightly bloated, slightly chubby, and his silky, black hair was constantly in a state of disarray. The white t-shirt he wore hung off a slender shoulder just slightly, and he smacked his lips as he squinted up at Bin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re up early,” he murmured, voice deep and cracking a bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bin hummed and scooted closer to Dongmin, planting a kiss onto his nose. “Couldn’t sleep. I was thinking too much about work.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A rarity. Police Chief Moon Bin up so early? Very strange.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mm, it’s a mystery you’ll have to solve.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dongmin yawned and curled into Bin’s side. “I’ve no energy to solve such a perplexing case. Maybe later, when I’m awake a bit more.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Doubt you’ll be able to solve it, anyway. You can’t read my brain, so you can’t know for certain what I’m thinking.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that a challenge?” Dongmin picked his head up, his sleepy eyes gleaming with determination. “Are you challenging me, Binnie?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bin laughed. “Even if I did, you wouldn’t be able to get anything out of me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dongmin stared at Bin for a few seconds before his eyes traveled over to the phone, now unplugged from the charger and laying face-down on the bedside table. Bin thought it was impressive how quickly Dongmin was able to put two-and-two together. It was also impressive how quickly Dongmin crawled over him to snatch the phone up, a gleeful smile on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who texted you so early?” he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bin lazily grabbed for his phone, but Dongmin kept it out of arms’ reach. “Minnie!” he whined, but Dongmin was immune to Bin’s pouting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Myungjun sent you a text that says </span>
  <em>
    <span>I like imagining two hot guys having hot morning sex, so sue me.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, god, he’s embarrassing,” Bin moaned, stuffing his head back into his pillow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need your fingerprint to open the phone.” Dongmin stuffed the phone onto Bin’s finger. Bin chose not to fight it. He knew when he would lose a battle. Besides, it wasn’t as if Dongmin wasn’t aware of Myungjun’s annoying personality. Dongmin grew up with him and considered Myungjun one of his closest friends. It was all too familiar to Dongmin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sure enough, Dongmin giggled as he read over all of Myungjun’s previous text messages. “He really wants us to have sex,” Dongmin pointed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s the weirdest thing to say about someone. </span>
  <em>
    <span>My best friend wants us to have sex</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Ugh, gross. I don’t go around wishing for Jinwoo and Myungjun to have sex, or Sanha and Minhyuk. I mind my own business, like any </span>
  <em>
    <span>normal</span>
  </em>
  <span> person ought.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dongmin said nothing. Dongmin only gave a cryptic hum, and so Bin picked his head back up and asked, “It </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> normal to keep your thoughts about your friends’ sex life to yourself, isn’t it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, but when have any of us been considered </span>
  <em>
    <span>normal?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dongmin had a point. Their friend group was outnumbered by magic users. Minhyuk and Bin remained strong as the only two non-magic users, and even then Bin’s condition of magic immunity could be considered somewhat magic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Bin conceded, nodding his head. “Still, Myungjun’s insane.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But he’s not wrong. Morning sex </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> the best sex.” Dongmin put the phone back on the table, leaning over Bin again as he did so. Instead of moving away, however, he hovered over Bin’s body, staring down at him with a smoldering gaze. He looked awake and alert now, at least, and Bin’s heart hammered in his chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So,” Dongmin whispered, planting a few kisses across Bin’s neck. “Let’s make Myungjun’s dreams come true.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you ever again bring up Myungjun’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>dreams</span>
  </em>
  <span> while trying to have sex with me, I’ll strangle you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine,” Dongmin agreed, and Bin was unable to say anymore before Dongmin’s kisses trailed up to his lips. The first handful of kisses were sweet pecks, chaste little kisses that had Bin desperate for more. Bin cupped his hand on Dongmin’s cheek, bringing him closer and closer with each kiss. Dongmin giggled against his lips, and Bin relished in both the feeling and the sound.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re so cute,” he whispered, kissing each of Dongmin’s eyelids. “So, so, </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> cute. How did you get so cute?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Another mystery,” Dongmin teased, shuffling around a bit in order to get comfortable on Bin’s chest. He closed his eyes as Bin continued onward with the kissing. Bin wanted to shower Dongmin with as much affection as he could possibly give. He wanted to show Dongmin just how much he truly loved him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His hands traveled up Dongmin’s t-shirt, fingers splaying out across his chest. Dongmin gasped out, “Your hands are cold!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s alright,” Bin muttered, trying his best to reach Dongmin’s lips again. “I’m going to warm them up for you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re going to warm them up </span>
  <em>
    <span>on</span>
  </em>
  <span> me,” Dongmin pointed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Exactly. God, just let me kiss you.” He managed to finally capture Dongmin in another kiss, where he prodded his tongue against the seam of his lover’s mouth. Dongmin was quick to part his lips and grant him entry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bin took his time. It was still early in the morning, after all. He hadn’t planned on waking up before ten, so he had a few hours to spend with Dongmin, to explore every inch of his body and to taste whatever skin he could reach.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He soon felt Dongmin’s hips roll against his own. Dongmin released the sweetest moan, and Bin decided he wanted to hear more of that. He wanted to hear Dongmin moan and pant and whisper out all of his declarations of love.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dongmin had always wondered aloud, “Bin, when did you fall for me?”. Bin couldn’t quite pinpoint an exact moment. Perhaps it was the first time they met, Dongmin’s displeased and exasperated expression somehow enticing. Perhaps it was the time they shared a bed together at Myungjun’s parents’ house, stiff and unsure but comfortable enough in each others’ arms. Perhaps it was when Dongmin was nearly killed, when the prospect of spending a </span>
  <em>
    <span>happily ever after</span>
  </em>
  <span> seemed somehow hopeless and uncertain. Bin could never answer him properly. Regardless, it didn’t matter </span>
  <em>
    <span>when</span>
  </em>
  <span> or </span>
  <em>
    <span>how</span>
  </em>
  <span>. What mattered was that they were in love and they were together and nothing could ever break them apart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dongmin plastered himself closer to Bin now, laying flush against him as they kissed. Bin’s hands, still underneath Dongmin’s t-shirt ,wrapped around his back, tracing the muscle he found there. Dongmin was slender, but he definitely had built up a bit of mass from his years on the force. He had to remain fit and strong if he were to go against criminals, and though it served a life-saving purpose, Bin had to admit that it definitely was a huge turn-on of his. He had always liked muscular men. He liked men who could hold him just as much as he could hold them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He let his hands travel further down and he squeezed gently at Dongmin’s ass, currently covered in cute pajama bottoms (ones he had borrowed from Sanha, which explained the weird cartoon characters). Dongmin mewled against his lips and Bin felt dizzy from the utter sexuality Dongmin was oozing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I refuse to believe you’ve been single all this time,” he murmured as he worked on tugging off Dongmin’s shirt. They had to break apart briefly, but once Dongmin’s shirt was on the floor, they were back together. Dongmin planted sloppy kisses all across Bin’s jaw, and Bin tried to return each and every one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You were my first,” Dongmin confirmed, his voice nothing more than breathy gasps. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, that’s probably a lie. You’re too seductive to have been single.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dongmin glared at him. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes were glazed over with desire, yet he looked absolutely precious perched atop of Bin with such a ridiculous pout on his face. “I’m going to smack you if you don’t agree with me,” he warned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bin laughed and kissed Dongmin’s chin. “Do it,” he challenged. “Sounds kinky enough that I might enjoy it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was his own fault, then, that Dongmin </span>
  <em>
    <span>didn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> smack him. He supposed he had egged the poor guy on a bit too much, so unfortunately their lovemaking didn’t evolve into anything overly kinky. Still, Bin found that Myungjun was correct; morning sex was the best sort of sex. With the sun just barely peeking through the blinds and birds outside chirping for a new day and the concept of time nothing but a figment of their imagination, Bin truly enjoyed it. They had nothing to do and nowhere to be. They could indulge in each other over and over and over again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bin had every intention of taking Dongmin over and over and over again, too. He decided he might not even leave the bed, except to get food, and clothes would be rendered absolutely useless. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unfortunately, real life had to hit them a bit too hard. After a while, both of them sweaty and exhausted, Bin grasped mindlessly for his phone, gulping in big breaths of air. Beside him, Dongmin wasn’t faring much better, and as Bin worked on unlocking his phone, he asked, “Need a break?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course I do. You have an endless abundance of energy. I can’t keep up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll give you an hour,” Bin decided. “Take a nap and then I’ll wake you up with a blowjob or something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Or something,” Dongmin repeated with exasperation. He rolled over to grab his own phone as Bin began to check through his messages.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had one more from Myungjun, of course, a text that read, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Let me know when you two are done!!! Dad did soojins hair and it looks adorable!! Jinwoo is the best at hair! I will take a pic for you!!!!!!</span>
  </em>
  <span> He was excited to respond to that one, to see a sweet picture of Myungjun and Jinwoo’s daughter, but he saw that he had several missed calls and a handful of other messages from the guys at the precinct. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Great,” he grumbled, opening up one from Officer Yoon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dongmin heard his complaint and asked, “They’re asking you to come in, too?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. Just you.” The message from Officer Yoon was quick and to the point. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Found a dead body. Need Detective Dongmin’s assistance. He’s with you?</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Officer Yoon was the only person in the office who was aware of the relationship between Bin and Dongmin. Sanha had accidentally let the secret out one evening, but Officer Yoon was kind about it. He never told the others and he hardly ever texted Bin to get to Dongmin, or vice versa. The fact he did so now meant that the dead body they found must have some sort of mystery surrounding it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why can’t we just wait to work with homicides until tomorrow?” Bin groaned, dropping his phone onto the bed. “Things were just getting good!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Just</span>
  </em>
  <span> getting good? I’ve spent ages putting out for you. You’re being ungrateful.” Dongmin swung his legs out of bed, wincing when his feet touched the floor. “I need a shower first.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s take one together.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bin.” Dongmin sighed. “There’s a dead body in the morgue. I need to go to the crime scene, and I need to get there soon. I’m already frustrated I hadn’t checked my phone earlier; I would’ve been able to get to the scene before they moved the body. You know I would’ve likely solved it if I did that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bin groaned again, mostly for lack of any other arguments against his boyfriend. He should have known their time together would be short. He should’ve known that crime wouldn’t wait for their sexual escapades to finish. Sometimes he hated their choice of career.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll just request another day off this week,” Dongmin told him, patting Bin’s bare shoulder. “And you can work from home. It’ll be fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess.” Dongmin wasn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>wrong</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but Bin still wished they would be left uninterrupted for a bit longer. “I’ll take a shower after you and head to the office later. No point in sticking around here if you’re gone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Besides, with both of their detective skills combined, they might be able to figure things out sooner rather than later. They worked well as a team, and Bin was determined to put this case to rest before the end of the day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then, maybe, they could return to their bed for the rest of the night and pick up where they left off.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hit me up on my twitter page <a href="https://twitter.com/thevonseal">@vonseal</a> for spoilers and general nonsense.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>im enjoying writing this a lot, so i hope yall enjoy reading it a lot!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The smell of the morgue was never something Dongmin could get used to. He had been around plenty of dead bodies and he had been down to the morgue plenty of times, and yet he still made sure to put on a mask and gloves and try to breathe in as little as possible. He saved all of his questions for when he wasn’t standing over a deceased body, choosing to use that time instead to listen to the coroner and think through any pressing matters he might have.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Officer Yoon met him by his desk. Though Dongmin had chosen not to take on any partners, since he really did work better alone (Bin notwithstanding), Officer Yoon had become the closest person to ever reach such a level. He was someone Dongmin trusted fully and completely, and though he had no desire to become a detective (claiming he was too old to do so), he still assisted Dongmin with many cases.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once he caught sight of Dongmin, he smiled softly and began leading his way down to the morgue, a file in his hand. He caught Dongmin up about the case on the way down the stairs, talking quickly so as to finish before they reached the morgue. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Some fishermen found her in the river early this morning. Her body was floating underneath some debris. She hasn’t been dead for long, and the cause of death isn’t entirely certain at the moment. The coroner already ruled out drowning, and her body has no sign of assault so it might take a little bit for him to make a decision.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin reached for the file, which Officer Yoon handed over. “She’s unidentified? A Mrs. Kim?” Dongmin asked, peeking inside at some of the papers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As of right now, yes. No identification. She doesn’t match any of our missing persons, either.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That wasn’t entirely strange. Dongmin had been a part of several cases of unidentified victims. Sometimes he was able to find out who they were and other times they were simply a mystery. Still, he would try his best to bring some sort of closure to this case, as he did with all his cases, and he pulled on his mask as he entered the morgue, Officer Yoon close behind him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The body was still pulled out, a simple sheet covering her, and the corner greeted Dongmin with a slight nod of his head before returning to the notes he was writing down. Dongmin examined her face for a few seconds, identifying any sort of interesting features to make his job easier. She had some freckles scattered across her nose and some acne that still lingered around her chin. Dongmin pegged her as a woman in her mid-twenties. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Her hair is cut in a unique way,” Dongmin commented, gesturing to the woman’s short hair. “Surely that will garner some attention. Someone must know who she is.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was impressed that the body was in such an immaculate condition. Most bodies found in rivers or lakes were already on their way to decomposition. This woman looked almost as good as new, and Dongmin asked the coroner, “What time do you place her death?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The coroner glanced over at the body. “Only a few hours before the fishermen found her,” he commented. “Possibly three this morning, maybe four.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you have no idea about the cause of death, correct?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not yet. I’ll have to do some more work examining her. Perhaps it was some sort of poison, or perhaps she simply suffered through some sort of disease. I’m not sure yet. I’ll find something, though.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin nodded his head. He knew it might take a bit of time for the coroner to determine how the woman had died. In the meantime, he could help the coroner by figuring out who the woman was. He could talk to any witnesses first and foremost, and then release images and reconstructed drawings in hopes that someone might come forward with some information. Regardless, it wouldn’t be an easy case and it wouldn’t be a quick case.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d have to take another vacation day next month.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He headed back upstairs, sighing as he removed his mask. “Are the fishermen still available for questioning?” he asked Officer Yoon.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Officer Yoon nodded his head. “We did some initial questions, but they left their phone numbers in case we needed to contact them again. We don’t suspect them in any way — they’ve been cooperating well, and one of them seems a little shaken that they even found a dead body.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin didn’t believe the fishermen had anything to do with the woman’s death, but it was a start, at least. He had to start from somewhere and then uncover more clues along the way. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll give them a call,” he told Officer Yoon. “Bin should be in soon; be sure to give him a briefing and let him examine the body. He might figure something out that all of us overlooked.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin had an uncanny way with detective work. From the moment Dongmin had been paired with Bin, he realized that Bin was a detective with intense intuition. He could find clues that everyone else had ignored, and his track record was defeated only by Dongmin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Still, in private, Dongmin claimed Bin as the victor for detective work, on account that Bin did everything without magic to guide his way. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Officer Yoon nodded before retreating back to his desk, and Dongmin sat himself down and sighed again. He had a lot of work to do. On the one day he had to bask in Bin’s affection and love, he was forced instead to look at pictures of a dead body. Sometimes he wished he had chosen to be something other than a detective.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Of course, if he wasn’t a detective, he would’ve never met Bin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Gotta make sacrifices for love,” he muttered to himself before flipping through the files and finding the phone numbers of the only witnesses he had so far. If falling in love with Bin meant that his life would forever be this chaotic, he would take it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>By the time Bin showed up at the office, Dongmin had already ruled out the two fishermen and had visited the crime scene. He had taken pictures, all of which were uploaded to his computer and scrutinized for anything he might have missed while viewing the river in person.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey,” Bin greeted, leaning over Dongmin’s desk and smiling widely at him. “How is it going?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin sighed. “About as well as you would expect with a Mrs. Kim. Did you read over the case file?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin nodded his head. “Body found in a river. Obviously she was dumped there, but the </span>
  <em>
    <span>who</span>
  </em>
  <span> part is most important. Who is she, and who killed her? That’s what we need to figure out.” He peered over Dongmin’s desk, straining his neck to catch sight of the computer screen. “Are those pictures?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. From the crime scene.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin continued stretching out his entire body to catch a glimpse of the photographs, and Dongmin sighed in frustration. “Use your legs, Chief.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t have to call me </span>
  <em>
    <span>Chief</span>
  </em>
  <span>. It’s too formal, and it reminds me too much of Chief Choi. You used to call him </span>
  <em>
    <span>Chief</span>
  </em>
  <span>, too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not like I can call you anything else while at work. And, besides, you </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span> the chief.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin smirked as he stood close to Dongmin. “Call me Binnie?” he recommended. “Or...</span>
  <em>
    <span>baby</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Or how about what you called me the other day? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sexy kitten?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin wished it was acceptable to hit one’s superior, because he would’ve punched Bin in the face if it was. However, all he could do was glance around in fear, making sure no one else was close by his desk, and then snap, “Shut up. What if someone had heard you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Surely people </span>
  <em>
    <span>must</span>
  </em>
  <span> know about us by now. I thought I was making it rather obvious.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank god no one has caught on. They’d file a complaint, likely, and you’d be in hot water over nepotism.” Dongmin liked to keep clear boundaries between his work life and his personal life. Bin, apparently, wasn’t on board with that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know, Jinwoo and Myungjun used to make out all the time when they worked at the bakery together. Minhyuk told me. He’s ninety-nine-point-nine-percent positive they had sex in the backroom, too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin grimaced. “And thank god we’re not neanderthals like Myungjun and Jinwoo are. We’ll keep our relationship very professional here, understand?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin rolled his eyes, but at least he muttered out a small, “Fine,” before bending over to get a better look at the images displayed on Dongmin’s computer monitor. “You didn’t find anything at the scene, correct? Nothing that would help to identify her?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Thankful that they were leaving their previous conversation behind, Dongmin shook his head. “No. Nothing. Whoever killed her made certain that our job wouldn’t be easy. However, she looks like she’d be easy enough to recognize. Her haircut is different from most girls. It’s unique. Surely someone would know her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin picked up the file on Dongmin’s desk and began to flip through some of the pages. He focused on the photographs of the victim, analyzing her with those sharp eyes of his. Dongmin watched him; he was always entranced with Bin’s process. Bin picked up on the slightest details, details that everyone else had already looked over.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe she’s not from around here,” Bin pointed out. “Have you checked any missing persons’ databases in neighboring cities?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin nodded. “Nothing. Which leads me to believe she was either off the grid somehow, or she has only recently gone missing. If her killer struck late last night and dumped her body, as the coroner said, she’s only been missing for less than twenty-four hours. That’s not enough time for most people to file some sort of notice.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This one won’t be easy to solve, then, will it?” Bin mumbled. “A pity. I was hopeful we could figure it out quickly and return home.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I </span>
  <em>
    <span>said</span>
  </em>
  <span> we’re keeping things professional,” Dongmin hissed, snatching the folder out of Bin’s hands. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin pursed his lips as Dongmin continued to scroll through the photos on his computer. He said nothing until he made Dongmin stop at one particular image, a shot of the river bank. “Zoom in right here,” he ordered, tapping a finger to the screen. Dongmin followed his instructions. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are we looking at?” Dongmin asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The grass on that side’s down. It looks like a small vehicle drove up to the bank.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin noticed the grass Bin was pointing out had definitely been run over with tire tracks. He wondered why he hadn’t seen it before when examining photos. There was certainly a reason Bin had technically solved more cases.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you guys go over to that side?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes,” Dongmin responded, “though we didn’t head this far up the river bank. We focused on the areas closer to the water.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Focus on that area. Figure out what type of car made those tire tracks. You can look through security footage from the nearby streets to see if any car matching the description is leaving or entering the area around the time the girl was murdered.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a perfect plan. Dongmin nodded his head, feeling like he finally had a handle on the situation, thanks to Bin’s calm and rational thoughts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have to get to the press conference in fifteen minutes,” Bin continued. He glanced around him quickly before planting a kiss to the top of Dongmin’s head. “Do I look okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stop kissing me,” Dongmin scolded. He blushed, though he knew no one was nearby to witness the affectionate exchange, and then he nodded his head. “You’re fine. You look fine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin </span>
  <em>
    <span>always</span>
  </em>
  <span> looked fine to Dongmin, especially when he wore such a nice suit and had his hair slicked back for his television presentation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Would you like to come? You’ve had your fair share of these conferences, as head detective.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not today.” Dongmin stood up and gathered his keys and the file on his desk. “I’m going to take one more look at the crime scene to figure things out. You’ll just have to do it without me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Damn. You’re always helpful in letting me know what questions the reporters will ask before they ever open their mouths.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin smiled fondly at Bin. Since no one </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> around, he kissed his boyfriend on the cheek. “You’re a smart man. Figure it out yourself, Chief.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Bastard.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mm, I know.” Dongmin left him then with one last kiss, hurrying down to his car and praying that the crime scene hadn’t been touched since he left.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fortunately, no one else seemed to be around the river when he returned to examine the tire marks. Things were quiet and serene, as if a body hadn’t been dropped there at some point overnight. Dongmin took pictures of the tire marks and hoped that someone back at the office was an expert on cars. They used to have a consultant who could figure out any type of tire track in an instant, but since he moved, it had become more difficult.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It would take up far too much time to look online for different cars and their tire marks, however, and the more time it took, the less chance they would have to find the murderers. Dongmin narrowed his eyes as he looked up the river bank, eyeing the distrubed grass that led back to the road. If he could find some CCTV cameras nearby, he might be able to watch all the cars that passed by during the night and narrow his search down from there.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He texted Bin his plan and then began the next phase — asking questions of nearby store owners. Many of them had footage they were happy to play back for Dongmin. Several of them were excited to be involved in such an investigation and eagerly asked Dongmin to call them if he got any new information. There was hardly any footage that offered help, however. Most of the cameras were pointed away from the roads, closer toward the shop entrance. Dongmin felt frustration mounting within him as he continued to jump from shop to shop, trying desperately to find something that would propel his investigation forward.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His lucky break came finally upon viewing the footage of a pawn shop close to the highway. They had cameras stationed toward the road due to a barrage of break-ins. The cameras picked up a handful of cars; only one of them appeared twice as it headed toward the river and then back again half an hour later.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be the car. It was in the correct time-frame of the woman’s death and it was too coincidental to be anything but the perpetrators on their way to dump the body. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He couldn’t make out the license plate number due to grainy footage, but having a full description of the car, and a vague idea that at least two people were seated up front, was more than enough for the time being. He was quick to take the footage back to the office, determined to continue on his course and figure out exactly what had happened with the poor victim.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After a while of undisturbed work, his cell phone began to ding. He ignored it at first, intent more on analyzing the grainy footage and doing his best to determine which route the car had taken, but then his phone kept ringing and ringing and ringing. One of the officers nearby had to nudge him and ask, “Could you just answer it or turn it off? It’s annoying as hell.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin sighed, both embarrassed and distracted, and glanced down at his cell phone screen. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Bin</span>
  </em>
  <span>, the phone read, a label he constantly fought with Bin over. Bin wanted his name in Dongmin’s phone to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>Binny-Boo</span>
  </em>
  <span> or something equally ridiculous. Dongmin refused, on the off-chance someone at work might see it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was pleased in this case, for the officer gave the phone a brief look before hurrying back to his seat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Dongmin hissed the moment he picked up the phone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you read my texts?” came Bin’s voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No. I’m working.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Check highway cameras. You’ll have to call the Ministry of Transport, but they’ll let you use their footage. They always have before.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. “I already have. They’re compiling footage for me to view that has the timestamps I desire. They sent me one video already; the car’s headed south, but that’s as much as I know at the moment.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin huffed. “Dammit. We’ll have to work with another office on this if they move out of the city. Then the case will become doubly hard.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin gave a non-committal hum as he proceeded to view more of the footage he had on his computer. “Officer Yoon is out asking neighbors if they saw anything suspicious. I’m assuming he’s had no luck.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, maybe we can pass the case off to another office,” Bin said, continuing as if Dongmin hadn’t spoken. “And that way you and I can go home and continue what we were doing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Bin, seriously—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know, I know. You’re working. Just don’t work too late, alright? I’m heading home in a few minutes, and I want you to wrap it up, too. If we can’t solve it today, it’s not the end of the world.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re still in the office?” Dongmin glanced up from his desk. At the same time, Bin peeked his head out from the large office he had to himself and waved wildly. Several police officers looked over and Dongmin felt his face turn red.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He hung up, deliberately, enjoying the look on Bin’s face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was too busy at the moment to let such pleasures distract him, however, and so he turned back to his computer and examined the videos he had been given.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t care what Bin’s orders were; he wouldn’t leave until he could figure things out. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hit me up on my twitter page <a href="https://twitter.com/thevonseal">@vonseal</a> for spoilers and general nonsense.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>chapter three - some revelations are made? (it'll get good soon i swear)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Dongmin received an interesting case, he sometimes buried himself in his work. He would consume all of the reports and recheck all of the evidence until someone (usually Bin) forced him to either sleep or eat (or both). It was an unhealthy relationship he had with work, and Bin found it near impossible sometimes to drag him out of his solitude.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not now,” Dongmin had muttered to him early that morning, bent over his work desk as he examined a few extra images of the suspect’s car they had managed to find from other traffic cameras.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin sighed and tugged again at Dongmin’s arm. “You barely slept last night,” he complained, thankful the building was empty enough. No one would be able to hear them talk. “Let’s go get a coffee, at least.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin sighed. “I want to solve this case, Bin.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As do I. But it’s only been two days; it takes a while to solve murders sometimes, especially when we aren’t even sure who the victim is.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was shocked that nothing had come up yet about her. She looked distinct enough, but no one had reported a family member or friend as missing. Dongmin had spent a lot of time rifling through a few other databases and contacting other precincts in an effort to figure out who the girl might be, but nothing had come from his searching.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With no suspects other than the car, and no witnesses other than the men who had found her, Dongmin was stuck. And when Dongmin was stuck, he grew obsessed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have to be missing something,” Dongmin muttered, running his fingers through his hair. He always took such pride in his appearance, and even now, with a lack of sleep and frustration drumming inside, Dongmin still took the time to flatten the hair he had mused. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin smiled fondly at him before pinching his elbow. “Come on. Coffee and muffins. My treat.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’d rather not.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s an order, Detective Lee.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That finally forced Dongmin to tear his gaze away from his papers and to look up at Bin instead. He had dark circles underneath his eyes and his skin was far more pale than it normally was. Bin pitied his poor boyfriend, but he stood his ground even if he wished to coddle and coo over Dongmin’s physical state. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Excuse me?” Dongmin questioned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s a work order. You’ll leave the desk and follow me to my car. We’ll drive down to the bakery and relax for an hour. Then, we’ll drive back to the office and continue with our current work until evening. Once it’s evening, we’ll go home.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin scoffed and turned back to his work. “You can’t order me around. I’m older than you are and have more experience—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t care. I’m the chief.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But we’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>dating</span>
  </em>
  <span>. You can’t pull rank on—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can,” Bin shot back, his arms crossed over his chest. “At work, Detective Lee, you are not my boyfriend. You are my head detective and you are overworking yourself and you are </span>
  <em>
    <span>required</span>
  </em>
  <span> to take a break. If you do not listen to my orders, then I will gladly write you up for insubordination.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin’s eyebrows shot up. He hadn’t expected Bin to ever say such things. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Bin</span>
  </em>
  <span> hadn’t expected himself to say such things. He was usually lax, especially when it came to Dongmin. He hated issuing commands for his boyfriend and often found it difficult to maintain the balance between </span>
  <em>
    <span>lover</span>
  </em>
  <span> and </span>
  <em>
    <span>boss</span>
  </em>
  <span>. But in this second, he had to toss aside the title of </span>
  <em>
    <span>lover</span>
  </em>
  <span> and focus solely on managing his employees the best he could.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could see the battle raging inside Dongmin’s eyes, the desire to work difficult to squash, but finally Dongmin sighed and placed the photos and documents inside a small folder. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin grinned in victory, then ruffled Dongmin’s hair, ruining it once more. “I’ll get my jacket,” he exclaimed. “Meet me outside in five minutes, alright?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And Dongmin did. Even if he pouted all the while, at least he followed orders, and once he was situated in Bin’s car, he asked, “So breakfast is a business meal, then? With no goo-goo eyes or kisses or—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hell no,” Bin argued. “Inside the office, sure, I’m your boss and can order you around. But at the bakery, we’re nothing more than cute boyfriends taking a break from tedious work. I’m totally going to feed you, just you watch.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin leaned back in his seat and huffed. “You’re insufferable.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, don’t I know it,” Bin teased. He smiled and glanced over to Dongmin, who avoided his gaze purposefully. “Cheer up, Minnie! You’re acting like I’ve inflicted a certain torture on you for asking you out for breakfast. It’s not that bad, is it? I’d like to think I’m an extremely charming breakfast-partner.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Resting his head on the window, Dongmin replied, “I might be missing a clue in this case, and instead of finding the clue, I’m going out to eat. What if that girl doesn’t get closure?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’ll get it,” Bin assured him. “Trust me. You’ll leave no stone unturned in order to find her killer. But you have to look after yourself, too. If you get burnt-out, you’ll be even worse off. Just take a few breaths and relax, okay? Some food and coffee will energize you and then you’ll be able to find the missing clue.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was always proud of his ability to comfort his boyfriend, and it was all he could do to hide his smirk when Dongmin finally nodded his head resolutely.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright,” Dongmin agreed. “Yeah. I’ll...I’ll eat and relax and then I’ll figure it out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s right!” Bin kept up the cheer, though he was also exhausted. Dongmin was prone to falling into small fits of anguish if the world around him seemed bleak. Bin didn’t want to deal with a mopey, pessimistic Dongmin — not again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When they arrived at the bakery, Dongmin’s stomach had begun to rumble. Bin struggled to hide his laughter, and he </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> to shoot Dongmin an expression that perfectly conveyed </span>
  <em>
    <span>I told you so</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Dongmin shoved his shoulder in retaliation and headed inside first, letting the glass door nearly slam into Bin’s nose.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> laugh in the end, delighted that Dongmin still had retained his spunk, at least. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At the counter, Minhyuk greeted them. He had grown more chiseled in the years that passed, more defined and broad. It made Bin quite jealous, for he, meanwhile, had been stuck behind a desk and had gathered a bit of pudge on his lower belly. Dongmin refused to acknowledge it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>pudge</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but had once made a comment of, “It’s soft and easy to mark, which makes kissing down there more fun,” and since then, Bin had recognized it for what it was — pudge. Oh, well, he’d just put in a few more hours at the gym during the weekend and maybe lay off the doughnuts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not today, though. Today was a day for eating, and he was determined to share a lovely breakfast with his sweet boyfriend.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You look like shit,” Minhyuk commented, gesturing to Dongmin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin frowned at Minhyuk and muttered, “You don’t have to be rude.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll get you a coffee. Maybe that’ll make you look less…” Minhyuk gestured, as if that could sum up his words. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I always thought Sanha would’ve lightened you up a bit,” Bin joked, smiling brightly at his friend. “But you’re still grouchy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk smiled back. “I’m not grouchy. I’m truthful. You think he looks bad, too, don’t you? That’s why you brought him here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> the truth. Dongmin shot Bin a scathing look and Bin cooed, planting a small kiss onto Dongmin’s cheek. “Babe, sorry, but if you agree that I have pudge, then—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I never said that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“—then I can agree with Minhyuk that you look miserable. But, cheer up! It’s nothing that some coffee and muffins can’t fix.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And sleep,” Minhyuk added. “Lots and lots of sleep.” He moved to get their coffees ready and asked, “How goes the case?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin sighed and patted Dongmin’s back. “Can’t you tell?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That bad, hm?” Minhyuk pursed his lips as he added in the pre-decided amounts of cream and sugar. Bin took his coffee with one sugar and no cream; Dongmin took his coffee with an atrocious amount of both. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Minhyuk finished and planted the two coffee cups onto the counter, his smile turned encouraging. “You’ll figure it out. You always do. Sanha’s dad says that you’re a natural. And you read minds, which is pretty useful.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not in a case with no witnesses,” Dongmin mumbled as he took a sip of his coffee.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk stared at him, curious, before asking, “How did the person die?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Toxicology reports aren’t back yet,” Bin replied for Dongmin, and then he pointed at two very large chocolate muffins. “Give us those, please. I’m ready to exceed my calorie intake in the first few hours of the day.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk did as requested, though it was clear he had many more questions to ask. In order to keep him quiet about the case, Bin swooped in with his own questions. “How’s Sanha?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mm, good. Still sleeping. He had something weird happen to him the other day, though.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s that?” Bin took a sip of his coffee and sighed as the warmth seeped through his tired body. It was good coffee, and he wanted to ask Minhyuk what brand they used.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk glanced over at the door, as if ensuring no other customers were trying to enter, then replied, “He was watching the register for me the other day while I went to pick us up some lunch. He said some older man came in and asked for </span>
  <em>
    <span>the necromancer who used to work here</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin blinked. It had been six years since Myungjun and Jinwoo moved to the countryside. It was long enough, then, for people to realize the bakery had a new owner and that magic was no longer offered as a service. No one ought to be asking, but Bin’s rational mind came up with an explanation, anyway.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Perhaps he had utilized Myungjun’s skillset a while ago and had need of it again. He probably just didn’t realize that you’re the owner now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk appeared unconvinced. “Sanha told him no one like that ever worked here, as we’re instructed to say, but the man laughed at him and left. But it gets weirder; he showed up again, but closer to our apartment. Sanha was alone and he asked Sanha, again, about </span>
  <em>
    <span>that necromancer</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Sanha feigned ignorance but the man told him to cut the bullshit and then asked about </span>
  <em>
    <span>his</span>
  </em>
  <span> magical powers. You guys know Sanha’s testy about that, so he cussed the guy out and told him to get lost, and the guy left. I don’t know how he knew about Sanha </span>
  <em>
    <span>or</span>
  </em>
  <span> Myungjun.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin didn’t like the story he was just told. The man had certainly been suspicious, and it wouldn’t do well for Sanha’s secret to get out a second time. When he glanced at Dongmin, he realized Dongmin wore the same expression of concern. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Have you asked Myungjun? Maybe it’s someone he knows,” Dongmin suggested, sipping at his own coffee.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, I...I didn’t want to worry him. He’s easily worried, you know. And with his kids, it just...I mean, nothing happened.” Minhyuk shrugged his shoulders uselessly. “I don’t know if we should tell him when nothing really happened.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But this man seems to know now that Sanha is a magic user, or, at least, that he knows a magic user. It could become dangerous for him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin was always level-headed and clear, but with the previous frustration of his unsolvable case and now his friends being targeted, he looked a little flustered. Bin placed a hand on his back, trying his best to offer some form of comfort.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Dongmin glanced at him, Bin smiled. “I’m sure it’s fine. I don’t think it’ll hurt to give Jun a quick heads up, just so he knows someone’s been asking questions, but Minhyuk’s right that he shouldn’t be worried.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk nodded his head, fumbling with the glass casing of the display window. “I know it’s all in the past now,” Minhyuk started, “but I wish he hadn’t performed magic for customers. There’s too high a possibility of the general public figuring him out and treating him poorly. I mean, his childhood was hellish enough. Adults are even worse.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin tightened his lips and stared down at his muffin. He never gave much thought to the lives of magic-users. Until he met Dongmin, he tried his best to ignore the ridicule and pain they all went through. He was scared of them; scared of defending them and scared of being labeled as one himself. However, Dongmin introduced him to magic-users who weren’t scary or threatening. They were </span>
  <em>
    <span>human</span>
  </em>
  <span>, first and foremost, and deserved to be treated with respect.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin’s past was sad enough, and he knew Myungjun and Jinwoo suffered greatly through childhood and beyond. Even Minhyuk was punished for his acceptance of magic-users.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The fear of Myungjun’s secret being revealed was a legitimate fear, and now that Sanha was potentially caught up in the reveal, Minhyuk had reason to worry.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>While a few movements had been introduced demanding the acceptance of magic-users, none had taken off. For the most part, magic-users stayed away from anyone claiming to be on their side. Even if those involved in the movement were genuine in their acceptance, being seen as a magic-user was a surefire way to ruin one’s own life. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun didn’t parade his magic around anymore, not like he had in his youth, and Bin knew he would be horrified to know it was coming back to bite him in the ass.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And if Sanha’s secret gets out a second time…” Minhyuk added, trailing off at the end of his sentence. He merely shook his head, and Bin frowned. The first time had been bad enough. Sanha and Minhyuk’s journey to rid themselves of the label that was bound to Sanha’s wrist was a dangerous one, and Bin still blamed himself for allowing the situation to escalate to that point. He opened his mouth, ready to apologize or else offer some words of comfort, but Dongmin beat him to the chase.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It won’t,” Dongmin assured him. He took another sip of coffee before continuing, “Because, if it does, Bin is the police chief and I’m a detective and we’ll prosecute anyone who claims Sanha can use magic. We’ll make sure Sanha’s name is cleared before it’s ever dragged through the mug.” He bit into his muffin and chewed thoughtfully for a few seconds.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin took over from there. “If we’re around next time you see the man, point him out to us. Better yet, try to snap a picture of him and send it to Myungjun. He might know who it is. I mean, it could be an old friend or something, maybe someone looking to reconnect. I doubt it’s anyone who’s out to ruin his life, else he wouldn’t have waited ten years to do so.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If he’s a friend, he wouldn’t have harassed Sanha like that,” Minhyuk mumbled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was correct, though Bin wanted to keep things positive. Their small group had enough doom and gloom to last a lifetime; it was time for everyone to have a brighter outlook on life.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well,” Bin said, clearing his throat. “We’ll keep an eye out. You keep an eye out. Have Sanha keep an eye out. Hopefully, though, it’s nothing of much importance and it’ll all fizzle out by next week.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk, still looking unsure, gave a small nod and looked away. “Hopefully.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin wanted to change the conversation, to find a new topic to stress over, but Minhyuk managed to beat him to it. “So, that case you’re working on — no witnesses?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Discussing the case wasn’t Bin’s goal. He wanted Dongmin to get </span>
  <em>
    <span>away</span>
  </em>
  <span> from the case, to relax for an hour without any mentions of the dead woman they had in the morgue. He should have known better, though. Dongmin wouldn’t let the case leave his mind so easily, and Minhyuk was always curious about detective work.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin sighed and shook his head. “No. No witnesses. All we have is the image of a car driving away. We’ve been able to determine it’s going south based on traffic cameras, but at some point, we lose it along a back road. Maybe they realized they could be detected if they only took main roads.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What roads did they take?” Minhyuk asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin began to name the roads. Most were major highways, streets that could lead anywhere, but at the mention of a lesser road, Bin blinked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It sounded familiar. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew</span>
  </em>
  <span> that road sounded familiar, though he couldn’t pinpoint where he had heard it. He drummed his fingers along the counter as Dongmin finished his list, but before he could say anything, Minhyuk spoke first.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cheongnyeo-ro? Sanha and I use that road to get to Myungjun’s place.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin froze, his fingers wrapped around his coffee cup. He seemed to be processing the information, and it took him a few seconds to ask, “What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. It’s the quickest way over there. You can’t access Jiseul from the highways, so you have to turn down that one to get on the roads to the subdivision.” Minhyuk appeared thoughtful. “There’s nothing in Jiseul for criminals, though, so unless they’re just traveling a long way, then why would they be over there?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin slapped his hand onto the counter and exclaimed, “The victim was from that town!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s why we can’t find any family or friends here or in the neighboring counties. She lives too far away in a tiny town!” Dongmin was far more energized than he had been in a few days, and he eagerly grabbed Bin’s hand. “I have to get back to the office! I can call Jinwoo and see if there are any missing persons, and — Minhyuk, thank you!” He grinned over to the younger man, who watched the proceedings with a small, knowing smile on his face. “God, I can’t believe I didn’t think of that!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m obsessed with visiting Myungjun. I guess my constant trips finally came in handy,” Minhyuk teased.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin was certain that Dongmin would kiss Minhyuk right then and there if he didn’t intervene, so he pulled Dongmin away from the counter. “We’ll get going now,” he said, keeping a tight hold on his coffee. “Put this on my tab, okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t have a tab,” Minhyuk countered, but his words fell on deaf ears. Bin was busy being tugged out of the shop by an exuberant Dongmin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ah, well, their break was nice while it lasted. He could only pray that Jinwoo had the information Dongmin desired.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hit me up on my twitter page <a href="https://twitter.com/thevonseal">@vonseal</a> for spoilers and general nonsense.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>so now it's picking up speed. keep up my friends</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Dongmin had already talked to Jinwoo, explaining the urgency of the situation and his excitement to learn more of the case. Unfortunately, he had failed to take into account the time of day, and had woken Jinwoo from what seemed to be a rather restful sleep.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In any case, Jinwoo was definitely grumpy when he answered the call at five that morning.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What, Dongmin?” he had asked, voice crackling and deep.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin had hardly taken time to apologize for the wakeup call before diving into his main point. “We have a dead body, a Mrs. Kim, and we’re looking to see if there are any missing persons cases around. The car that dumped her appeared to have headed in your direction. I hope you can help me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was silence, then some shuffling and a loud sigh. “I’m at home,” Jinwoo mumbled. “In bed. You know how early it is?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, I’m...I’m sorry.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Christ, and I thought the kids were bad. You’re even worse.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a muffled voice in the background — Myungjun, presumably — and Jinwoo responded, something along the lines of, “It’s Dongmin. Go back to sleep.” Then, directed at Dongmin, Jinwoo asked, “Why couldn’t you text or email?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s important.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>five in the morning</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Jinwoo responded. He sounded more frustrated than Dongmin had heard him sound in a very long while. Dongmin winced and realized that his own enthusiasm was to blame.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In an effort to defend his actions, he stammered, “It’s just that this case is...it’s important. I mean, there’s a dead woman and if we can figure out who she is then we might figure out how she died, and wouldn’t that bring closure to the—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Call me back in three hours,” Jinwoo grumbled, “it’s too early for this.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh.” Dongmin cleared his throat. He felt thoroughly embarrassed. “Are you going back to bed?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No. My alarm goes off in an hour, so now it’d be pointless, so thanks a lot for </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Before Dongmin could say anything in response, the line cut off. Jinwoo had ended the call.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin had pursed his lips and placed his cell phone aside, refusing to say anything to Bin, who stood nearby watching the ordeal. When Bin smiled suddenly, Dongmin stood and scurried past him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Bathroom,” he muttered, trying his best to escape before Bin could say anything sarcastic.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But he wasn’t fast enough, and even though he had managed to rush down the hall, Bin still called after him, “Is Jinwoo mad?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As it was, Dongmin had to wait a few hours, eagerly looking at the clock now and again, desperate to get in contact with Jinwoo (who would hopefully be awake and full of caffeine and pleasant).</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Only two hours had passed before Jinwoo called him back, and Dongmin picked up on the first ring.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I thought you said three hours,” Dongmin said, forgoing any sort of greeting.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was up and got to the office early,” Jinwoo replied. He still sounded a bit groggy. That wasn’t good. “You know, you have an issue with getting too invested in these cases. That’s not healthy, Dongmin. And now you’re ruining </span>
  <em>
    <span>my</span>
  </em>
  <span> sleep for assistance—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin sighed. He hadn’t called to get scolded. “Look, Bin’s already spoken to me about it, okay? I know it’s not healthy, but the sooner I can finish this case, the sooner all of us can sleep.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo gave a small grunt and then seemed to type something in on his keyboard. “Alright,” he mumbled, “who’s this missing person?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin gave him all of the relevant information. He discussed her hair and her facial shape and any interesting marks on her body. He talked of her clothes and her shoes and of anything Jinwoo might find relevant. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>While he commented on the color of her socks, Jinwoo gave a small </span>
  <em>
    <span>aha</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and then interrupted him. “Found her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You did? Seriously?” Dongmin’s heart gave a small lurch and butterflies surrounded his stomach. He was so close to figuring it all out, so close to getting this case closed. He wouldn’t be satisfied until he saw it to completion, but learning a name would be fantastic enough.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh Yujin. She was twenty-three and went missing a few days ago. I can send you a picture, if you’d like, to compare it to the body you have.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’d be great,” Dongmin breathed out. Jinwoo was silent as he emailed the photograph over, and Dongmin could barely contain himself as he opened the attachment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was her. He had found the girl’s identity. He wanted to cheer, but he knew it would be uncouth to do so while discussing a dead body. Instead, he merely gave a small hum and confirmed, “That’s her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So whoever killed her must have traveled far away to drop off her body. Though, why Boryeong? It’s not exactly a small town. They would have had better luck around here. Plenty of back roads and uninhabited locations.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Perhaps they didn’t think we’d put the pieces together. Most criminals are rather dumb.” Dongmin began to type a few things into a document, detailing who the girl was. “Tell me more about Oh Yujin. Who reported her missing?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Her mother. They live together, and Oh Yujin went out one day to meet up with friends. I talked to all of the friends, though, and none of them had any plans with her, so she was either hanging out with a different crowd that no one knew of or she was lying. Obviously I’ve been following the lying route.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It sounded like a very simple missing persons case. Many of them ended up dead, but this one was different. Not too many missing persons were dumped into a river with no clue as to how they died.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin slumped over at his desk and fussed, “The coroner can’t figure out how she died. He’s tested for a few different poisons, but nothing’s come up. It doesn’t look like cardiac arrest or drowning. It’s just...god, it’s frustrating. How am I supposed to figure it out?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo remained quiet for a few seconds, as he normally did when he wanted to sort out his thoughts. “Have you considered the possibility that she was killed from magic?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Was she a magic-user?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well...no. Maybe. I don’t really know, to be honest, but…” Jinwoo lowered his voice, “it’s possible she was. I mean, if her mother accepted her, then she wouldn’t tell the police. Telling the police that your missing daughter is a magic user is a surefire way to make your case obsolete.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So we’d have to see if the mother is lying.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’d be easier if you came over to see for yourself.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin sat up again at his desk. He supposed it was most logical for him to make the journey to Cheongdo county so he could assist Jinwoo in the investigation. He would have to get permission from the chief, who might also want to cash in his vacation days to spend time with Jinwoo and Myungjun’s children. Would that be irresponsible, though? Would the rest of the station operate fine without him?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If he shortened his visit to a week, he was certain he could solve the case and head home. It shouldn’t take too long.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll ask Bin,” he assured Jinwoo.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know he’ll say yes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But we have to make it official. No one here knows that we’re dating, except for Sanha’s dad and Sanha’s dad is keeping it silent.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo sighed. “You’ve been dating him for </span>
  <em>
    <span>years</span>
  </em>
  <span>. When will the two of you get married? Even Sanha and Minhyuk are talking about marriage, and yet you guys are dragging your feet.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Marriage is an institutional mess. It gets the government involved and they’d know more information than I’d like for them to know about us, and then they’d know Bin is my work superior and that’s highly illegal, and—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, god, I get it.” Jinwoo gave a short chuckle. “You hate marriage. You don’t want kids. You’re a workaholic.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your kids are good enough for me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Does Bin want kids?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No. He’s also too focused on work.” Dongmin didn’t care much for discussing his romantic intentions with Bin, so he did his best to change the conversation. “Anyway, do you think I’ll be able to gather information from Oh Yujin’s mother if I come down there?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If anyone can, it’s you,” Jinwoo answered. “I’m not a mind-reader so I can’t do anything useful.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin scoffed, “You </span>
  <em>
    <span>could</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I know there’s a spell for it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve given up on most spells. Now it’s just...potions for a few ailments like exhaustion or fevers, and then more...bedroom-related ones.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, gross.” Dongmin wrinkled his nose. “At least you haven’t turned anyone into a mermaid again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It wasn’t...it was a fish. And I apologized.” Jinwoo gave a small huff. Dongmin could picture him pouting, leaning back in his office chair with a scowl on his face. Jinwoo was predictable and sweet, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>goodness</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he really could pout as well as Myungjun. They definitely belonged together.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anyway,” Dongmin continued, deciding to get back on track once again, “I’ll submit my request for the chief to look at.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“For your boyfriend to look at.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin hurried forward, ignoring the quip. “I’ll also send you some pictures and videos of the car that was near the scene of the crime. It turned down some roads Minhyuk says he knew, and now that we know Oh Yujin was the victim, it makes sense that these are likely our suspects.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’ll make things easier!” Jinwoo exclaimed, sounding quite pleased. “Thanks.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No problem.” Dongmin moved to hang up, but he was reminded of the conversation he had with Minhyuk earlier that day. “Wait, Minhyuk said...I mean, I guess he’s not called Myungjun yet, but he says someone suspicious was talking to Sanha and asking after Myungjun. He only knew Myungjun as a necromancer, though, and he seemed to guess Sanha was also a magic-user.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh.” Jinwoo sounded surprised. “What did he look like? I remember a few of Jun’s regulars.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know. Only Sanha saw him, so you’d probably have to call him to figure it out. I think Minhyuk was going to talk to Myungjun about it today, but...I don’t know. Minhyuk was worried. I just thought you both should know that someone here was inquiring about Myungjun’s whereabouts.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had expected Jinwoo to be a bit more nervous, but Jinwoo merely sighed. “Try as we might, we can’t escape magic, huh?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sometimes it’s good. Utilizing it—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You aren’t a witch,” Jinwoo interrupted. “It’s not good. I don’t...I don’t want our life right now to be upheaved. We’ve worked hard to get to where we are today, and we don’t sell our magic anymore, so I just…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin was silent. He knew better than to ruin Jinwoo’s rambling. Jinwoo didn’t often get a chance to vent; between his children and his adoring husband, he kept strong and chose not to speak of his fears. Jinwoo </span>
  <em>
    <span>needed</span>
  </em>
  <span> to vent, however, and so Dongmin would take it for as long as Jinwoo would talk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sure enough, Jinwoo began to spill a few secrets, the words rushing out of his mouth. “My kids don’t know we’re magic users.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They don’t?” Dongmin asked, unable to keep silent with </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> information. He had always assumed Myungjun would have mentioned it at some point. Myungjun was terrible at hiding his identity. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No. Myungjun and I had talked it over and made the decision it was best they don’t know. What if they accidentally say something? What if they’re defensive over their magic parents? What if they’re goaded into hating us? There’s so many things that will go wrong.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Surely Woojin has learned of magic users in school,” Dongmin commented. “Has he not asked you questions? It would’ve been a perfect time to explain to him who you are.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s learned some stuff. Mostly that he should stay away from magic users. Myungjun and I have talked to him to let him know that magic users aren’t bad at all, and he seems to believe us over the words of his teacher, but I’m still...I can’t handle it if he hates me, Dongmin. If he learns who I am...and, god, if I was just a regular magic-user then perhaps it’d be fine. I’d lose my job and have to move, but I can handle that. But with who I am, then I’d be killed. And the people hiding me, my own family, will be scrutinized and Myungjun could be jailed for keeping me a secret. That’s too much to place on the shoulders of one boy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin swallowed past the lump in his throat. He felt sympathetic to Jinwoo’s cause. He knew a little of the past life Jinwoo had run from. Abandoned by his mother when his powers awakened, abused and neglected by his extended family, forced to live on the streets, manipulated into a relationship by another magic user — it was a tragic past and Dongmin hated knowing that his friend was put through so much shit simply because he was born with magic in his blood. He had never asked to be a witch. He had never hurt anyone with his powers. He was kind and thoughtful and overly emotional. Why should he be hated for a life he never wanted?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Am I doing the right thing?” Jinwoo suddenly asked, voice lowered. “Hiding myself like this...is that the right thing to do?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin had made his fair share of dumb mistakes in his thirty-one years. He knew better than to judge anyone else for their choices. “That’s your decision,” he stated. “But you know Woojin loves you, right? You know he won’t care what you are. First and foremost, you’re his dad. That’s all he sees when he looks at you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo didn’t respond. He was quiet once more, likely contemplating Dongmin’s words.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well,” he finally muttered, “I should get to work on this case.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. Me, too. Need to ask the chief what my next steps are.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll never get over the fact that you call him </span>
  <em>
    <span>chief</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Jinwoo teased, sounding far lighter than he had for the majority of the phone conversation. “Send me those pictures of the car, and give me a call back if you’re coming. Jun and I can set up the guest bedroom for you. Woojin will be delighted.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin laughed. Last time he and Bin had visited, Woojin stuck to Bin’s side like glue. He had begun dressing like him, too, and Dongmin about lost it when Woojin came into their room one day with a deerstalker, a cape, and a fake pipe in his mouth. Bin’s influence on that kid was far too strong.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll do that,” Dongmin agreed. “Take care, Jinwoo.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.” There was a pause, and then Jinwoo added, “Thanks.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He needn’t say more. Dongmin knew what Jinwoo was thanking him for, and he felt bad he couldn’t do </span>
  <em>
    <span>more</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He wanted to either pull away Jinwoo’s powers, or force society to accept magic-users as human. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They hung up and Dongmin slouched over in his chair again, feeling a bit drained from the direction their conversation had gone in. He chose to ignore his magical powers unless they were being used, and Jinwoo had brought up rather deep and serious issues. Dongmin was reminded of his own past, of the hardships he had faced at the hands of his mother. While he did not suffer nearly as much as Jinwoo, the wounds had definitely settled in deep.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He sent the email Jinwoo had requested and then stood up, feeling a hundred years older than he had earlier that morning. The office was still empty, save for one or two straggling policemen down the hall, but Dongmin ignored them, choosing instead to enter Bin’s office.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin wore his glasses and had his nose buried in paperwork, but he lifted his head when Dongmin stepped in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Minnie!” he exclaimed. “You’ve finally come to see me!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We ate breakfast a few hours ago,” Dongmin responded, closing the door swiftly behind him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin shrugged his shoulders. “And I’ve missed you in those few hours. I’m exhausted, though. Might call it quits a bit early and try to get some sleep. You’ve ruined my sleep schedule.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry,” Dongmin apologized, and he genuinely meant it. He felt bad for tugging Bin this way and that, forcing him to give up a regular life in order to pursue the next criminal down the block. Poor Bin deserved so much more than that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin sat down at a chair in front of Bin’s desk and said, “I might need to go to Cheongdo county.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin blinked. “With Jinwoo and Myungjun? What for?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin explained what the purpose of his visit would be, how the connection between his Mrs. Kim was found, how it was likely the suspects went back to their hometown. Bin listened with rapt attention, and before Dongmin could even finish talking, Bin nodded his head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That would be best. With you and Jinwoo working together, the case could be solved extremely fast. I’ll get in contact with the chief of police for the county and see what she thinks. Will you be staying with Jinwoo?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He...he said I could, yes. If you wanted to come—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course I want to come!” Bin exclaimed, bright-eyed and hopeful. “I mean, I’ll have to use some vacation hours and I might not be able to stay the entire time, but I’ll come along for a bit. It’ll be nice to see the kids again. Woojin really takes after me, you know. And Soojin has my eyes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a giggle, Dongmin said, “They’re not even related to Jinwoo or Myungjun, let alone </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can dream,” Bin countered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin’s mood was being lifted. Bin always had the uncanny ability of pulling Dongmin out of any slump. Dongmin felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude to his boyfriend, and he smiled fondly at him. “You know I love you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If Bin was confused with the sudden change of conversation, he didn’t admit it. “Of course I know! I love you, too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And I...I’m so happy that you’re dating me, even though I’m a magic-user.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin’s smile fell. “Dongmin,” he started.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Dongmin wanted to talk. He didn’t want Bin to fill him with compliments and words of love. He needed to clear his mind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jinwoo lived a hard life. Myungjun did, too. And I feel lucky compared to them, but it’s still...it’s still part of me, isn’t it? No matter what, I’m a magic-user.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin opened his mouth, prepared to defend Dongmin, to refute all of his statements, but his phone went off. The ringtone was loud and obnoxious and Bin moved to turn it down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Answer it,” Dongmin said, waving a hand dismissively. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s just Minhyuk. I’ll call him back later. Besides, you’re more—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Minhyuk never calls you,” Dongmin pointed out. “It might be important. Maybe he remembered something.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin didn’t look convinced, but he answered his phone regardless, letting out a tentative, “Minhyuk? What’s up?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His expression faltered. He gripped the phone tighter. His eyes sought Dongmin’s, and he looked nervous.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, he’s...he’s not here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Who? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Dongmin mouthed, though he knew. He felt chilled to his very core, even before Bin could mouth back an answer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Sanha’s missing</span>
  </em>
  <span>, were the words Bin mouthed, and though they were silent, they rang in Dongmin’s head.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hit me up on my twitter page <a href="https://twitter.com/thevonseal">@vonseal</a> for spoilers and general nonsense.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>sanha :O</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Bin wasn’t quite certain what the issue was, really. Minhyuk had started the call frantic, the words, “Sanha’s missing,” slipping out of his mouth quite easily. However, when Bin dug a little deeper into the situation, he found himself struggling not to roll his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not like he’s necessarily </span>
  <em>
    <span>missing</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Bin clarified to Minhyuk, trying to calm his friend down. “I mean, it’s a little weird, but it’s only been an hour or two—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why would he leave the front door unlocked?” Minhyuk asked. He sounded like he was out of breath, and Bin pictured him rifling through the apartment for a clue as to Sanha’s whereabouts. “And why would he leave his phone on the dining room table? And his laptop? He has work, you know.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe he went out to grab something to eat.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“His wallet is here, too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin frowned. Dongmin sat across from him, eyebrows furrowed in concern, but Bin didn’t want to cause a panic. He hoped Sanha would be close by, maybe taking a walk or a short jog, but Minhyuk </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> correct in his assertion that Sanha always made certain to take the necessities with him. Sanha was young and loved his phone; why would he willingly leave it behind?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can...I can talk to Officer Yoon to see what he knows, then. Maybe Sanha told him he was going somewhere.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That isn’t enough. I’m worried—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know.” Bin sighed and glanced at Dongmin, who cocked his head questiongly. “I’ll send Dongmin over. He can talk to some of your neighbors and see if anyone saw anything. But if nothing is out of place and there was no struggle, then surely he left on his own accord, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk grunted, and Bin knew he was in disagreement. Not that it mattered; Bin had been a talented detective, and he was currently the youngest police chief his branch had ever seen. He was concerned, but knew better than to expect the worst. And above all else, he knew he ought not to cause Minhyuk to worry even more. If Minhyuk panicked, then they’d get nowhere in their search. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After Minhyuk hung up, Bin ran his fingers through his hair and leaned back in his chair with a groan. “Never a dull moment, hm?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you think Sanha got into some trouble?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin twirled a bit in his seat, allowing himself a moment to frown. “Possibly.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You told Minhyuk otherwise.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, well, I’m not gonna say, ‘Hey, Minhyuk, I think your boyfriend might be kidnapped or something.’ That wouldn’t work. I can’t cause him to freak out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin cleared his throat and played a bit with his fingers, clearly thinking things through. “What about...what about that man? The one looking for Myungjun? Do you think he might have anything to do with Sanha’s disappearance?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin pursed his lips. “Possibly,” he repeated, and when Dongmin sighed, Bin defended himself. “We don’t have a lot to go on, Min. This guy certainly </span>
  <em>
    <span>seems</span>
  </em>
  <span> suspicious, but all we know is that he’s a bit mouthy and might know about Sanha’s identity. That’s it. We can’t go around pointing fingers at everyone who has had contact with Sanha in the past couple of days. We also can’t go around pointing fingers at </span>
  <em>
    <span>anyone</span>
  </em>
  <span>, honestly, because it’s likely Sanha left by himself. Maybe he’ll be back soon. Maybe Minhyuk is prematurely worried.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin didn’t look convinced, but Bin didn’t blame him for that. It was a weird situation, and highly unlike Sanha to simply disappear with no warning. There was reason for concern when it involved one of their best friends.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anyway,” Bin said, standing from his seat. “I want you to head over to Minhyuk’s apartment. Talk to a couple of people and see if anyone noticed anything. Do your…” He pointed to his head. “Do your thing, if need be. People might not mention something if it wasn’t overly suspicious, but they might still </span>
  <em>
    <span>think</span>
  </em>
  <span> about it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right.” Dongmin smiled. “I’ll </span>
  <em>
    <span>do my thing</span>
  </em>
  <span>, as you so eloquently put it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin laughed, happy that Dongmin could at least smile despite the tense situation. “How else should I put it? Don’t want to say too much out loud, you know?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course.” As if remembering their earlier conversation that Minhyuk’s phone call had interrupted, Dongmin blushed slightly. “So...I’m still going to Jinwoo’s, right? To figure out that case there?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s our top priority at the moment, yes.” Bin nodded his head. “Depending on what we learn about Sanha, we’ll go from there. Our police force is good enough for his case, if it even </span>
  <em>
    <span>becomes</span>
  </em>
  <span> a case, heaven forbid. I’ll request your help if we get desperate, but I think...I think it’ll be fine.” He prayed it would be fine, at least, that it wouldn’t amount to anything other than some miscommunication. He prayed Sanha would come home to find his friends and family worried and that, dumbfounded, he would explain that he </span>
  <em>
    <span>thought</span>
  </em>
  <span> he had his wallet and had walked to the corner store for a quick breakfast. Bin prayed that things could be resolved simply and with little conflict.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Life, though, was never that easy. Life liked to backhand him across the face over and over and over again. Sure enough, as the day stretched on and Sanha still hadn’t been heard from, Bin’s stomach began to twist and turn. Dongmin had called, too, with unsavory news.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A downstairs neighbor saw Sanha willingly get into someone’s car.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin slumped over at his desk. He could see, through the windows of his office, Officer Yoon on his own phone, likely calling his wife, mouth tugged into a frown and hands shaking as he held the headset to his ear. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Great,” Bin mumbled. “We got a dead body and now Sanha’s gone missing for some reason.” He ran a hand down his face and mumbled a question. “Got an ID on the car?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She doesn’t recall the exact make and model, though I was able to discern that it was a red SUV. She said…” Dongmin paused briefly and cleared his throat. “She said hello but Sanha walked right past her. She assumed he didn’t hear, but she mentioned he looked...off.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Off?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Different. Like he was in a daze. She told me he must have been tired and I agreed with her, but that isn’t...that </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> isn’t like Sanha, is it? He always responds, and he looks chipper most of the time, and he doesn’t go off with random strangers and leave everything behind.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin was correct. Bin squeezed his eyes shut, trying to figure out what on earth could have possibly happened. His mind tried to grasp at the positive outcomes, the hopeful outcomes, but the analytical side of him recognized what probably happened, and he mumbled, “Maybe he was bewitched.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Shit</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Dongmin cursed lightly, the swear falling from his tongue with ease. He was stressed, and Dongmin could tell. The day had already been long and one more tragedy, a personal one at that, wouldn’t help his stress diminish. “But why the hell would anyone bewitch </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sanha?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin thought it all through. The only suspect they had so far was the man who was aware of Sanha’s secret abilities. If he wanted to use them for his own nefarious purposes, then he could put a spell on Sanha to turn him into little more than a puppet. They had seen some powers before, in the first case he had worked once arriving in Boryeong. He had thought that witch to be an outlier, though; of course, that could be because the only witch he personally knew was a rather weak witch. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not positive at the moment,” he admitted, keeping his voice down in case someone poked their head into his office. It wouldn’t do for people to listen in to his conversation and figure out that Sanha was a magic user. He had to keep such information as quiet as possible. “Call the Ministry of Transport again. Try and find the car based on the traffic cameras. Once you’ve called them, you need to head to Cheongdo-gun County in order to finish the case you’re already working on.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But Sanha is more—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sanha is definitely a priority to us </span>
  <em>
    <span>personally</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Min, but on the job, you need to focus on the other case. Besides, there’s enough of us here that we can handle a possible kidnapping. Officer Yoon will definitely stop at nothing in order to find his son again, and I’ve got Minhyuk, too. We’ll be fine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin hesitated. Bin knew it was tough for him to put his job before his friends, but hopefully the assurance that all would be well would help Dongmin agree to head to Jinwoo’s house. Sure enough, Dongmin gave a small sigh and asked, “Promise me that the </span>
  <em>
    <span>moment</span>
  </em>
  <span> you hear any news about Sanha, you’ll contact me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you won’t punish me for leaving my current case to come help you if I see fit?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Now you’re getting a little too cocky. Like it or not, you’re a detective and I’m your boss. Listen to me.” Bin ran his fingers through his hair and pursed his lips. “That being said, I’ll understand if you make rash decisions. But please try and keep your cool. Sanha will be perfectly fine, and you’re needed to solve this murder. Understood?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. Understood.” Dongmin sighed once more, then added, “Bin, I love you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin smiled brightly and nodded his head, though he knew Dongmin could not see. “I know. Right back at you,” he replied.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once he hung up, though, he frowned and stared at his computer, at the information he had been compiling. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So much for his vacation days.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“The Ministry of Transport got back to me rather damn quick,” Dongmin said, rushing into Bin’s office and slamming the door shut behind him. His eyes were wide and his hair was in complete disarray. He looked terrified, and Bin tried his best to quell the panic slowly rising up within his own belly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not good news, then?” he murmured.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin slapped a handful of papers onto Bin’s desk and rifled through them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Look,” he ordered, pointing at a red SUV. “Look at this. Guess where it’s headed?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin narrowed his eyes as he examined the traffic camera photographs. The road names were listed at the top, and he realized with horror that he could recognize each and every road name.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s...isn’t this the same path that…?” He trailed off, not wanting to bring his words to fruition. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin, however, was determined to finish those words, and he nodded his head frantically. “Same path the car took, the one that dumped the body. Headed straight to Cheongdo-gun County.” He rubbed his hands over his face and whispered a few swear words as Bin stared down at the photographs. “If I had been quicker in making the connection, or if I had taken Minhyuk more seriously, or if I hadn’t eaten at the bakery, then maybe I could’ve saved—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It isn’t your fault,” Bin snapped, snatching up his office phone. “Sit down. I’m calling Jinwoo.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How the hell can I sit? Sanha’s been kidnapped by </span>
  <em>
    <span>murderers</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Bin! And they likely know where Myungjun is, and this is why it’s happening—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin glared at him, his heart hammering in his chest. He didn’t want to hear this. He didn’t want to hear </span>
  <em>
    <span>any</span>
  </em>
  <span> of this. He didn’t want to hear that their friend was kidnapped by murderers who likely knew of Myungjun’s existence, too, and were heading to Myungjun’s hometown and might murder him, too. He didn’t want to hear any of that, for it would make it true. He felt helpless as he punched in Jinwoo’s number, anxiety gripping tightly at his chest and fear overpowering all other functions.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo answered the phone. “Hey, Bin. What’s up?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where’s Myungjun?” Bin asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo faltered. “At...at work. At the flower shop. I just had lunch with him and Soojin. Why? What’s wrong?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s...I mean, it might be Myungjun, but it’s also Sanha.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sanha?” Jinwoo sounded worried, too. “Is this what Dongmin talked to me about early this morning? What happened?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And so Bin told him everything, watching all the while as Dongmin self-destructed before his eyes. His poor boyfriend was holding off tears, biting down at his nails, and pulling at his hair every so often. He blamed himself for Sanha’s disappearance, that much was clear, and while Bin longed to comfort him, he knew he had to focus on the job at hand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Of course, Jinwoo was just as distraught as Dongmin seemed to be. He took a deep breath and murmured, “Christ, why does this have to happen to us?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know. It’s…” Bin trailed off, unsure of what else to say.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll tell my guys to look out for a red SUV. Hopefully we can catch them before they...before anything happens.” He didn’t complete his thought, but Bin knew what it would be.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Hopefully they could catch the bad guys before they kill Sanha.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dongmin and I will still come over,” Bin assured.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You, too?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, I was going to stay here and keep an eye out for Sanha, but it seems more likely he’s down there. It won’t be right away; Dongmin will probably drive down there tonight and I’ll wrap a few things up here and come a bit later, if I’m still needed, but I’d like to come. I’d like to figure out what the hell is going on right now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Could it be due to magic?” Jinwoo asked, his voice low.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin hesitated. He didn’t want to give any definite answers when things were still so murky. He didn’t want to cause speculation and make the situation either brighter or darker than it needed to be. He wanted to wait for the evidence to flow in before giving his final answer. Over the years as chief, he had learned to keep thoughts to himself and to only deliver facts. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This instance, however, was different. This instance involved their close friend, and if his thoughts could be of any use, then he would gladly give them up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m wondering if it is,” he murmured. “It seems likely; the strange man knew about his magic, and now he’s kidnapped? Is that a coincidence or something more nefarious?” He glanced at Dongmin and bit his lip before adding, “If that’s the case, then I’m positive it’s connected to that murdered girl, Oh Yujin. I mean, she came from where the kidnappers have taken Sanha. That, likely, is also not coincidence.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo groaned, seeming quite frustrated. “I suppose I should consider us lucky. We had nearly ten years of peace and quiet before things went to hell. Time to go on another adventure, I guess. Hey, does Minhyuk know?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin repeated the question to Dongmin, who gave a small grimace. “Yeah,” Dongmin murmured. Bin knew, though, that Jinwoo would like to hear, so he placed the phone on speaker and gestured for Dongmin to speak up. Dongmin leaned in closer. “Yeah, Minhyuk knows. I didn’t see any point in keeping this a secret from him; he deserves to know that we think his boyfriend was kidnapped by murderers. He’s...worried, obviously. He’s been talking to Sanha’s mother and calling a few of Sanha’s friends, just to double-check, but...I’m afraid he might do something rash. I mean, this is </span>
  <em>
    <span>Minhyuk</span>
  </em>
  <span> we’re talking about. He’s rash when Sanha’s wellbeing is at stake.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That much was true. Bin tapped his fingers along his desk, wondering if there would be a good way to deal with Minhyuk. They couldn’t have Minhyuk impede on official police business. They always asked the family and friends of the victims not to get involved, for fear of ruining an investigation. But Minhyuk was their </span>
  <em>
    <span>friend</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and Minhyuk was one of the few people willing to stand beside magic users. If word got around that Sanha was a shifter, Minhyuk would be an invaluable asset to prove his innocence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>However, he </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> rash, and if he </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> get involved, he might grow impatient with the hurdles the police department had to jump over before they could do anything.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll worry about Minhyuk,” Bin assured his friends. “I mean, if I’m sticking around here for a bit, then perhaps I can placate him in some way. He’ll likely be pleased we’re splitting our efforts between here and your district, Jinwoo.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, well, Myungjun will probably want him </span>
  <em>
    <span>here</span>
  </em>
  <span>. You know how much Myungjun cares for him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tell Myungjun not to invite him. Not yet, anyway. If we figure out for certain that Sanha </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> in Cheongdo-gun, then maybe we can talk about Minhyuk staying with you guys for a few days. Right now, limit visitors to Dongmin. We need to keep this simple for the time being.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right.” Jinwoo clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “Send me photos of the car. I’ll start compiling some documents for the chief. Dongmin, I’ll see you tonight. We’ve got a lot of work to do now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They bid Jinwoo farewell and Bin ended the call, placing the office phone back in its headset. Almost instantly, Dongmin shot up from his seat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin already knew that Dongmin would no longer rest until Sanha was home safe.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m going to pack,” he announced, eyes flitting to the door. He was distracted, his mind racing a mile a minute, and so Bin stood as well, skirting around the desk to wrap his arms around Dongmin’s waist.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t stress yourself out,” Bin murmured. He kissed Dongmin on the nose and offered a small smile. “We’ll find him. We’ll close the case with no violence. It’ll be alright.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin was not satisfied, though. He pulled from Bin’s embrace and frowned. “It’s not alright until Sanha is safe and sound,” he responded. “I’ll call you, okay?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He left then, with not another word. Bin wasn’t hurt; Dongmin panicked easily and would forget that he was human sometimes. He operated solely on adrenaline and fear, as he was now. It wasn’t healthy, but Bin could do nothing at the moment to help his boyfriend out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Besides, didn’t Sanha need his help even more? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He would thrust all he had into this new case and ensure Sanha’s wellbeing. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hit me up on my twitter page <a href="https://twitter.com/thevonseal">@vonseal</a> for spoilers and general nonsense.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>mj and the kiddos arrive! ;D</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Dongmin arrived at the house, he could see Woojin and Soojin playing outside, waving around large sticks as if they were fighting some sort of invisible creature. Woojin appeared to be having trouble getting Soojin to listen to his commands, and was hastily signing something to her which she promptly ignored, but at least they both appeared energetic and happy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He parked in the rocky driveway, smiling widely as the children ran at his car after having noticed him. The moment he climbed out, he was instantly yanked forward by a fast-talking Woojin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uncle Dongmin!” Woojin greeted in a screech, jumping up and down. Soojin copied his movements, enthusiastically clapping her hands. “We were playing and fighting off bad guys! Wanna play with us, please? We need a real bad guy to hit with the sticks!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin laughed and ruffled Woojin’s hair. “I’d rather not get hit today,” he commented.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aw, but I won’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> hit you. Just like this.” And Woojin demonstrated, slicing his stick across the air in a quick, intense move. Dongmin blinked; that kid was certainly strong. Myungjun and Jinwoo must have been feeding him well. “See, Uncle Dongmin? It won’t hurt none!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin had never been great with children. He loved Woojin and Soojin, but he always felt a little awkward trying to interact with them. Plus, Soojin only seemed to like her family members and Sanha. She often hid from Dongmin, even when he attempted to sign to her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He tried another smile and patted Woojin’s shoulder. “I’m not here to play. Sorry, Woojin.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Woojin pouted but then peered around Dongmin, trying to catch a glimpse into his car. “Is Uncle Bin with you? He’ll play with us!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, Bin didn’t come. He might show up later. Hey, where’s your dad?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Woojin’s pout intensified. “He’s inside. Are you </span>
  <em>
    <span>sure</span>
  </em>
  <span> you don’t wanna play with us?” He leaned in conspiratingly and whispered, “Soojin isn’t good at this game. I guess it ain’t her fault, but she can’t learn fast enough, not like an adult can.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sure Soojin learns just fine,” Dongmin replied, smiling over at the young girl, who merely played with the straps on her overalls. “Why don’t you two continue playing? I’ll go talk to Myung — your dad.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Woojin tossed his stick aside and grabbed Dongmin’s hand. “I’m bored of playing. I’ll take you to him!” He made a motion at Soojin, something that definitely wasn’t sign language, but she didn’t seem to be paying them any more attention. She had plopped onto the ground and was hitting at a blade of grass with her stick. Woojin groaned and tugged at her arm. “Soojin, c’mon! Dad says you ain’t allowed to be out by yourself.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Soojin ignored him, even with the physical contact, and Woojin finally yelled out, “Dad! Soojin won’t come in!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was no response, and Woojin tried yelling even louder. “Dad!” he called out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If he yelled once more, Dongmin would develop a headache, he just knew it. To calm the boy down, Dongmin said, “Here, I’ll go check on him. You stay out with your sister, alright?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Woojin seemed to agree, bending down next to Soojin to take the stick from her hand (which Soojin fought off), and Dongmin entered the house, peeking into the living room to find Myungjun hunched over some paperwork laid about on the coffee table. Dongmin cleared his throat and Myungjun glanced up at him, glasses sliding down his nose.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, Min!” Myungjun greeted, shooting Dongmin a tired smile. He folded the glasses and put them aside. “You should’ve texted me that you were here. I’ll help you grab your bags.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Woojin wanted to say hi first.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ugh, the little brat gets to you first. He steals my husband, now he steals all my friends.” Myungjun laughed as he stood up from the floor, stretching his arms over his head. “They’ve been playing for a while. I should bring them in and start on dinner.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Woojin was yelling for you. Soojin won’t come in.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun sighed, suddenly seeming far older than he actually was. “Of course she won’t,” he muttered. “I’ll deal with the kids, then. I assume you’re strong enough to bring in your own luggage.” He gazed over appreciatively at Dongmin. “You sure do look it. Though, you’re not as muscular as Jinwoo. Have you </span>
  <em>
    <span>seen</span>
  </em>
  <span> him without a shirt? By god, he looks like a statue.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m here for a case, not to discuss how horny you are,” Dongmin teased, leading Myungjun outside. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His friend sighed again and trudged along after him, and when he spotted his kids playing in the dirt, he clapped his hands together and ordered, “Woojin, go inside and wash up. We’ll have dinner soon.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Woojin shot up quickly. “Ooh! What’re we having?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know, kid, I’m just winging things.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Woojin wrinkled his little button nose. “What’s that mean?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re asking too many questions. Dad’s brain is mush right now. Go wash up and then I’ll make Dongmin answer anything else you have to ask.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Dongmin shot Myungjun a glare, his friend merely shrugged as Woojin gave a small </span>
  <em>
    <span>whoop</span>
  </em>
  <span> and flew into the house. “Oh, don’t look at me like that, Min. Just go get your luggage. You can wrestle Woojin to the ground to get him to shut up. Lord knows the kid needs to be taught a lesson sometimes. He’s acting like a hotshot around here recently.” Myungjun shoved him away and then knelt down to deal with Soojin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin pulled his suitcases out of the car. He tended to overpack on these sorts of trips; even if Myungjun and Jinwoo would offer him the clothes off their backs if he forgot a single item, he would much rather be overprepared than underprepared. Plus, he had to bring along all of his casework files, and those took up much more space in his suitcase than he had thought they would. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After sending a quick text to Bin to let him know he had arrived safely, he lumbered over to Myungjun, who didn’t seem to be having much luck with Soojin. He was signing something to her, but she looked away instead, disinterested in whatever her father seemed to be saying. Myungjun’s face fell briefly, and Dongmin frowned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you need help?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun started and quickly shook his head. “Nope! Just gotta scoop her up—” Which was exactly what he did. She gave a small scream, but he calmed her with a few kisses to her plump cheeks, and then she settled into his arms.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Still, even as Myungjun smiled, Dongmin could spot the tightness of his lips and the dark circles under his eyes. Clearly something was amiss in the family. He was curious, and as a friend, Dongmin wanted to reach out. But the case was more important at the moment; he had to find Sanha, and he had to find some murderers. Could he really get involved in Myungjun’s personal issues?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He followed Myungjun inside, lugging his suitcases behind him. Myungjun directed him to the guestroom; Woojin led the way, despite Dongmin knowing perfectly well where it was. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you wanna play with me after dinner?” Woojin asked, slamming open the door with little decorum. “I can go outside to play if you come with me!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin plopped his suitcases down onto the floor. “Sorry,” he murmured, shooting Woojin an apologetic smile. “Your daddy and I have a lot of things to discuss. Work stuff.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Woojin’s eyes lit up and he grabbed at Dongmin’s arm. “I can help! I wanna be a detective like Daddy! Can I help? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Please?</span>
  </em>
  <span> I got some stuff I can use! Daddy gave me a magnifying glass and I can hunt for clues like a real detective!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin was unsure what Jinwoo often did in these sorts of situations. Surely Woojin didn’t actually assist in any cases. Surely Jinwoo didn’t place the knowledge of murders and rapes on a young child. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>assumed</span>
  </em>
  <span> not, in any case, but he still wanted to ensure the boy didn’t whine. “Well, maybe,” he said. “We’ll ask your daddy when he comes home, alright?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Woojin gave a small cheer, then ran out into the hallway, yelling, “Dad! Uncle Dongmin says I can work on his case with him!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin winced. He knew Myungjun had often complained that Woojin wanted to follow in Jinwoo’s footsteps. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It’s not a safe career</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Myungjun had pointed out, his initial fear sticking with him after so many years. It was likely he wouldn’t take well to Dongmin putting hope into Woojin’s head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sure enough, as Dongmin stepped out of the room and followed Woojin back to the kitchen, Myungjun shot him a glare. “Woojin better not be getting inside knowledge of any cases you and Jinwoo are working on.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s…” Dongmin glanced behind him at Woojin, who waited anxiously for Dongmin’s response. “I’ll play with you, Woojin, alright? But the case is boring. Just a bunch of paperwork. We’ll make a new case for you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That seemed to satisfy Woojin, who nodded his head eagerly and ran off again, likely to wreak havoc elsewhere. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That kid’s got too much energy,” Myungjun complained. “Lord knows who gave it to him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He takes after you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, please.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ve got more energy than anyone else I know,” Dongmin teased, smiling widely. “Soojin got her daddy’s quiet demeanor.” He looked over at the girl, sitting on the kitchen floor and banging a spoon on a chair leg.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At this, Myungjun furrowed his eyebrows, but he hid his displeasure by rifling through his fridge. “Yeah, well…” he started, but there was a loud noise from the living room. “Oh, </span>
  <em>
    <span>christ</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he’s messing with shit again,” Myungjun muttered. “Min, you mind going to check on him and keep him company while I whip us up some dinner?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin held back a groan. He hadn’t come on this trip to babysit. Myungjun always seemed to take advantage of visitors. Usually he would complain about having to watch Woojin, but when Myungjun glanced over at him, Dongmin could see just how exhausted his best friend was. Were the kids really so difficult recently? Perhaps Jinwoo had been spending more time at the office. Or perhaps Soojin’s lack of hearing coupled with Woojin’s chaotic behavior was catching up with him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Whatever the case, he couldn’t very well say no, and so he nodded politely and rushed into the living room, where Woojin was frantically trying to clean up some books he had knocked over from the coffee table.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t do it!” Woojin lied when he spotted Dongmin, and he let the books drop again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even if Dongmin found kids confusing and scary, Woojin always brought a smile to his face. He chuckled as he bent down to pick up some of the books. “We both know that’s false,” he stated. “Anyway, it’s not a big deal. It’s just books.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dad likes these books though. He got them from the doctor and he won’t let anyone else look at them. Daddy isn’t allowed, even.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin blinked. Was Myungjun hiding secrets from Jinwoo? It was very </span>
  <em>
    <span>un</span>
  </em>
  <span>-Myungjun-like. He was a firm believer in honesty, and he told Jinwoo everything possible. Jinwoo once complained that Myungjun had gone far too in-depth on the first time he ever masturbated, which was clearly a conversation they could have gone without.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He knew better than to get involved in his friend’s personal business, but he was curious, despite himself. As he picked up the books, he glanced at the titles.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Overcoming Autism.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Parenting Girls on the Autism Spectrum.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Raising a Child With Autism</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No wonder Myungjun was exhausted, and no wonder Soojin was acting up. Was she autistic? Jinwoo had never said anything. Why would Myungjun keep that a secret, though? How long had it been going on, and how long had Myungjun known? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin spared a peek at the paperwork scattered about the coffee table, too. Much of it was the same, printouts from doctors or else articles from the internet. There were some papers relating to Myungjun’s business, but Dongmin remained focused on the clear signs of downfall within the Kim-Park household.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey,” Myungjun’s voice barked from behind him, and Dongmin scrambled to his feet again, face red when he realized he had been caught in his snooping.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Woojin was quick to place the blame on him. “Uncle Dongmin looked! I didn’t!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun hurried forward, snatching one of the books out of Dongmin’s hands. He was tense, hands shaking slightly as he ordered, “Woojin, go set the table.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are we having?” Woojin asked, the ordeal with the books already forgotten.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Delivery. Fried chicken.” Myungjun gave Woojin a small pat on the back and gestured towards the kitchen. “Set the table. Add a spot for Daddy; he’ll be home within an hour. And see if you can get your sister to relinquish her wooden spoon, okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Woojin gave a small cheer at the prospect of fried chicken before he scurried out of the room. Dongmin wished he hadn’t gone; away from his children, Myungjun was absolutely terrifying.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Dongmin was a professional. He had been a detective for many years and was used to such stubborn personalities. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is Soojin autistic?” he asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun took a deep breath and shook his head. “No,” he responded, adamant in his answer. “According to one doctor, she displays some signs. But I think that doctor is full of it. My daughter is fine.” He piled the books up and then stuck the paperwork over top of that. “She’s deaf, so it’s a bit difficult, but she isn’t autistic.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin watched, curious, as Myungjun stuffed the books under the couch, pushing them far back from any prying eyes. When he stood again, he glared over at Dongmin. “You won’t tell, will you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why don’t you want Jinwoo to know?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because he’d worry unnecessarily. He has enough on his plate, what with his case and now...Sanha.” Myungjun gave a grimace and stuffed his hands into his pockets. “We need to focus on one thing at a time. Besides, she </span>
  <em>
    <span>isn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> autistic, so there’s no reason to tell him. We’ll go to another doctor next week who will likely inform us that the first doctor is wrong. That’s all. Easy as that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin remained unconvinced, even when Myungjun plastered on a fake smile. “You up for some fried chicken? Fried chicken is always delicious.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Myungjun, you know you don’t have to suffer through this alone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not suffering,” Myungjun retorted with a small scoff. “Soojin has just been having some behavioral issues and I thought a doctor’s visit would clear it up. I thought she had an infection or was sick. She probably still is sick, and that doctor was simply not looking hard enough. Besides, all children are different, you know? They learn at different speeds. One of Jinwoo’s coworkers said that his son didn’t start speaking until he was four or five. Not that Soojin will ever </span>
  <em>
    <span>speak</span>
  </em>
  <span>, because she can’t, but...just goes to show that learning styles in children are all unique.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin nodded along, for lack of anything else to do. What could he say to that? He wasn’t going to try and tell Myungjun that he was wrong. Myungjun knew his own child better than anyone else. It was not Dongmin’s place to step in and say </span>
  <em>
    <span>Soojin might be autistic</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Instead, he asked, “Are the books helpful?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun nodded his head, but then corrected himself. “They would be if Soojin was autistic. And she isn’t. So they’re not helpful for me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just...you and Jinwoo need to focus on finding Sanha, okay?” Myungjun bit down on his lip. “I just...I can’t believe he’s gone missing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This was a conversation topic Dongmin felt far more comfortable traversing. He would let Bin handle the nitty-gritty details of Myungjun’s personal woes. Work conversation, however, was easy to relax into. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jinwoo told you, then?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Myungjun whispered. He closed his eyes briefly but then straightened up. “But you’ll find him! You and Jinwoo are super smart and always made a fantastic team. I know you’ll leave no stone unturned in order to bring him home safe and sound.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin wanted to ask more. He knew Myungjun, like many magic users, often had a tendency to hide his emotions deep within him. Though Myungjun liked to prattle on and on about personal details, he often hid his greatest fears. Apparently, his daughter being even the slightest bit different from other children her age was a fear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In a way, Dongmin supposed he could understand. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Different</span>
  </em>
  <span> was not acceptable. Those who were </span>
  <em>
    <span>different</span>
  </em>
  <span> suffered the consequences. Myungjun struggled all throughout school, Jinwoo was abused and manipulated and killed, Sanha was branded with the stigma, and even Minhyuk held physical scars due to his alliance with people who were </span>
  <em>
    <span>different</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It should have been a simple matter to comfort Myungjun over his worries. If he was anyone with even a bit of empathy, perhaps he could hug his friend and offer words of wisdom. But he had been emotionally stunted himself, with a crazy mother who refused him the social necessities he had needed. He felt awkward around situations like these, and he tried his best to avoid them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But he knew he had to say </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and so before Myungjun walked off to check on his children, Dongmin grabbed his arm and stopped him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey,” he murmured. “It’ll be okay. Soojin and Sanha...it’ll all be okay.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And Myungjun, usually so bright and optimistic, seemed a little weary now. He gave Dongmin a tight-lipped smile and shrugged his shoulders.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” he replied, a half-agreement, and he pulled from Dongmin’s grasp, voice becoming a bit more cheery as he called out, “Woojin, the table better be set like I asked, or else I’m stealing the chicken off your plate!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin, left alone in the living room, sighed and glanced over to the couch, where incriminating evidence was being held.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He would fix things for Sanha and for his murder victim, and then, perhaps, he could get through to Myungjun. He would fix things in his best friend’s life, too.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hit me up on my twitter page <a href="https://twitter.com/thevonseal">@vonseal</a> for spoilers and general nonsense.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i need to be more on top of this lol. so sorry for the wait.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Minhyuk sat in Bin’s office, a foreboding force to be sure. Bin felt the stifling anger overtake the room, permeating every last inch of office space with its red-hot tension. It should have been a simple matter to kick Minhyuk out, to explain that, as a civilian, Minhyuk ought not be privy to the information that Bin was dealing with. It <em> should </em>  have been a simple matter, but Minhyuk was not to be taken lightly and expected preferential treatment. No matter how many hints Bin dropped, Minhyuk refused to budge from his position, demanding the honor of being the first to know if any new clues were discovered.</p><p>Bin finally lost his cool the thirty-second time Minhyuk asked, “Any news?”</p><p>“Minhyuk,” he snapped, pointing at the door, “leave. I need to work and you’re making that a struggle.”</p><p>“If you’re as good as you boast, it shouldn’t be a struggle,” Minhyuk replied, just as frustrated. “Besides, I have a right to know what’s happening. He’s <em> my </em> boyfriend.”</p><p>“And he’s Officer Yoon’s son, but you don’t see him in here asking me every ten seconds if anything has changed!” Bin exclaimed. “You’re doing this case more harm than good at the moment, Minhyuk, and you need to leave.”</p><p>Minhyuk’s jaw was squared and he narrowed red-rimmed eyes in Bin’s direction. “You aren’t even trying to find him,” Minhyuk accused. </p><p>Bin mentally made another tally; that was the fourth time Minhyuk had made such an accusation. </p><p>“You’re sitting here behind your big, comfortable desk as my boyfriend likely is tortured or maimed or—”</p><p>“Sanha will be perfectly fine,” Bin assured him. He had become used to giving such hope to victims’ families over the years, and the well-practiced words fell out of his mouth with ease.</p><p>Unfortunately, Minhyuk had always become wise in the ways of the police force; most of his friends were involved with law enforcement, and he had heard those words before.</p><p>“No,” he snapped. “Don’t give me that shit. You never mean it when you say it to all those other people who lost loved ones and you don’t mean it now.”</p><p>“Of course I mean it! Sanha is my friend, too.”</p><p>“He was mine first!”</p><p>“I don’t care whose friend he was first; I’m doing everything in my power to help.” Bin turned back to his computer as an email came through regarding Sanha’s case. “I know it might not seem like much, but I have my best men on the job. Dongmin and Jinwoo are working together. I’m remaining behind to oversee the efforts here. Sanha’s apartment has been combed through. This email is a list of everyone he’s called in the past couple of days, just in case we spot any weird numbers or names that appear multiple times.” He spoke calmly, trying his best to dispel all signs of annoyance. Minhyuk was just hurting, he had to remind himself. Most people lashed out at others when they were in that sort of terrible limbo state of not knowing a loved one’s whereabouts. He couldn’t get mad at that.</p><p>He opened the email and gave the numbers a quick, cursory glance.</p><p>Nothing stood out, save for the final call made within the timeline of Sanha’s disappearance.</p><p>He murmured the number to himself before grabbing at his phone to double-check it against his own contact list. </p><p>He was right. It was Myungjun’s number.</p><p>Myungjun hadn’t mentioned speaking to Sanha, had he? Maybe he didn’t consider it of importance; they often talked, usually about mundane things such as video games or television shows. But why would Sanha have called Myungjun so early? And why would Myungjun have withheld that information?</p><p>“Does...does Sanha ever call Myungjun early in the morning?” he asked, eager to hear Minhyuk’s perspective.</p><p>Minhyuk blinked. “Um...I don’t know. Maybe, sometimes. Myungjun is up early a lot because of the kids, and if Sanha’s up then they might call each other.”</p><p>Perhaps it was a normal call, then. Perhaps Sanha was up early and also knew Myungjun was up early. But, still, Myungjun needed to tell them if he was the very last person to have any contact with Sanha.</p><p>“Why are you asking?” Minhyuk questioned. </p><p>Bin ignored him for the time being, choosing to call Dongmin instead. </p><p>Minhyuk continued to speak. “Bin, what’s wrong? Did Sanha and Myungjun talk? Does Myungjun know something?”</p><p>Bin held up a finger in exasperation. Minhyuk was definitely a sympathetic figure, but Bin wanted to figure out the case as quickly as possible, and he couldn’t do that if he catered to Minhyuk’s interrogation. He had to keep working as if Minhyuk wasn’t even in the room with him. </p><p>Dongmin answered the phone after a few rings, sounding a little tired as he greeted his boyfriend. “Hey, Bin. Is everything going well?”</p><p>“Sort of,” Bin answered, then barreled right into his subject of choice. “Can you figure out why Myungjun was the last person to talk to Sanha but has not told us a thing?”</p><p>There was a beat of silence. Bin heard Soojin screeching in the background, but he still said nothing until Dongmin spoke again. “Myungjun talked to Sanha? When?”</p><p>“Right around the time of Sanha’s disappearance. Within the timeline we’ve set up.”</p><p>“Oh. I...I  wasn’t aware he had done that. I suppose you have Sanha’s phone records, then?”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>He could almost hear the wheels in Dongmin’s head turning. “I’ll figure it out. I’m sure it was something simple or…” There was another screech. Dongmin sighed. “Myungjun’s going through some difficulties right now. I wouldn’t be shocked if he forgot he even talked to Sanha. Once he gets Soojin calmed down, I’ll ask him, alright?”</p><p>Bin nodded his head, and then since he knew Dongmin couldn’t see, he gave a verbal affirmative. “Alright. Maybe tomorrow you should go to the station and work there with Jinwoo. It might give you some peace and quiet.”</p><p>He had expected Dongmin to laugh, or at least to agree, but Dongmin merely grunted instead. “Maybe,” he mumbled. “It’s...I’ll explain later. It’s a bit chaotic. I feel overwhelmed.”</p><p>Bin could hear the exhaustion and confusion in Dongmin’s voice. He longed to reach through their cell phones and embrace his boyfriend. He longed to take him to the beach or the mountain or somewhere no call could ever reach them. They wouldn’t have to deal with loud children or missing friends or dead bodies. They could just relax, as they so rightfully deserved.</p><p>But Bin knew better than to allow his mind to travel to such thoughts. He had to stay focused on finding their best friend and solving a mystery. Vacation time could wait. </p><hr/><p>It was Myungjun who called him back, not Dongmin. The moment Bin answered the phone, he was bombarded with a chaotic jumble of words from what sounded to be a very stressed Myungjun.</p><p>“I’m such an idiot, Bin, I totally forgot he called! I’m so sorry, it’s just been a little weird around here the past few days, and when Sanha called I was getting ready to take Soojin to the doctor’s and now I have some, I mean I have some issues here and, <em> shit </em>, I’m just so sorry.”</p><p>Bin found it difficult to break into Myungjun’s apology. “It’s alright, Jun,” he said, but Myungjun spoke over him.</p><p>“I promise we didn’t talk about much. I didn’t think anything of it; sometimes he calls me because he knows I’m with the kids early in the morning and he’s bored and wants to talk while answering emails, which I don’t know how he can do, but we really just talked about some new movie and I asked how Minhyuk was doing and that was it. I had no idea anything bad was going to happen.”</p><p>When Myungjun stopped to take a breath, Bin was finally able to interrupt. “Hey, it’s fine. I just needed confirmation that you were the last person to talk to him. So you didn’t hear anything suspicious? Nothing like the door opening or Sanha talking to someone else?”</p><p>“No. I told him I had to go because Woojin was trying to get into my cookies. Shit, I wish I had remembered to tell Jinwoo, at least.”</p><p>“If nothing suspicious happened on the call, then there would have been no reason to tell Jinwoo,” Bin pointed out. He sighed and leaned back in his chair, feeling as if he had hit a dead end. “I’ll let you go. Call me if you remember anything at all suspicious, alright? It...it becomes more difficult to find missing people the longer they’ve been missing.”</p><p>Myungjun made a small noise of discontent. “Right,” he muttered. He would’ve known; his husband was a detective and had the same issues as Bin. “I’m...I’m sorry. I’ll think it through. I can’t...god, it’s so weird. You think it was a witch? Jinwoo and Dongmin think a witch got to him.”</p><p>Bin knew better than to reveal information. Even if Myungjun was a friend, and even if he was already listening to Jinwoo and Dongmin discuss the case, Bin decided he would continue to treat Myungjun as a civilian.</p><p>“Not sure,” he answered. Still, despite his resolve not to let anything slip, he couldn’t help but add, “Likely.” Myungjun <em> would </em> be of use if they ran into any issues. He might as well keep the necromancer semi-updated on the situation.</p><p>They hung up then, Myungjun glum and apologetic, and Bin stood from his seat, stretching his arms over his head and thinking over the conversation. He felt as if they had gotten nowhere in the past day. If there weren’t any clues, he knew it definitely had to be the work of a magic user. Everything was too clean and too perfect otherwise.</p><p>He peered over at the chair that had been previously occupied by Minhyuk. At some point it had become vacated, but Bin couldn’t remember when. He was so caught up in work, so caught up in looking for that damn break in the case, that he wasn’t able to take the time to comfort his best friend.</p><p>But now he could, so he lumbered out of his office, intent on locating Minhyuk.</p><p>It wasn’t too difficult. He asked a few of the officers mingling about and they were able to point him out the main doorway, where he found Minhyuk loitering about with a cigarette.</p><p>“Hey,” he greeted, offering Minhyuk a small smile.</p><p>Minhyuk didn’t return the smile, understandably so. He did hold out his cigarette carton, which Bin regarded hesitantly for a few seconds before pulling out a stick.</p><p>“I guess you didn’t find anything out,” Minhyuk muttered, passing over his lighter.</p><p>Bin stuck the cigarette in his mouth and lit it before shaking his head. “Nope. Myungjun called back.” He noticed the way Minhyuk’s eyes widened, the sudden squaring of his jaw, and he was quick to add, “No news, though.”</p><p>“So they just had a normal conversation?”</p><p>“Seems that way. Myungjun said he merely forgot with all the chaos going on at his place. I think the kids are causing issues, and with Jinwoo working overtime to figure out both our cases, it’s…” Bin shrugged his shoulders. “He’s really sorry, though. And I know he’ll do what he can to help out.”</p><p>Minhyuk slumped over again, taking a drag of his cigarette. “I’m..” he started, his voice wavering slightly. “I’m worried, Bin. I <em> know </em> it was that guy who spoke to him, the one who asked Sanha about his magic. I don’t know what he’d want with that, though. I don’t know why they would kidnap Sanha for it.”</p><p>Bin rubbed at his temple with his free hand. He had thought about that all day. What use would Sanha be to a possible witch? “Well,” he muttered, “we also have to take into account that he might have gone freely.”</p><p>“He didn’t.”</p><p>“He <em> might </em> have. Minhyuk, there was no sign of a struggle. Everything seemed fine at the apartment. He left his phone and his wallet but otherwise it seems he went willingly. So we have two possibilities.” Bin held up his hand, two fingers up. He put each one down as he made his point. “It was a witch who put a spell on him that made him obey orders. Or he was told something that made him follow his kidnapper.”</p><p>Minhyuk swallowed thickly but shook his head. “Sanha wouldn’t have done that. Not without telling one of us, anyway.”</p><p>“The man knew about Myungjun, though. He first approached Sanha with the intent to learn about Myungjun, right? Only later did he ask about Sanha’s powers.” The wheels were turning in Bin’s head, and he left the cigarette smoldering in his hand as he continued, “So what if he threatened Myungjun and gave Sanha no choice but to go with them? I mean, technically Sanha would have gone <em> willingly </em>, if that’s the case.”</p><p>He could tell, though, even before anything else was said, that Minhyuk was not pleased with Bin’s theory. </p><p>“That’s ridiculous,” he scoffed. “Sanha would have told me. He would have called. He knows he has resources to protect Myungjun; for god’s sake, Myungjun is married to a <em> witch </em>.”</p><p>“Not a strong witch, though,” Bin countered. “And from what I’ve heard, Jinwoo never uses his powers these days, save for a few small potions here and there. Sanha knows this, too. Sanha knows Jinwoo hates using his powers. So if Sanha thought that he could take these guys on instead, that he could help Myungjun by going willingly, then he might’ve.”</p><p>“He <em> wouldn’t </em> without help.”</p><p>“He would. He almost did, remember? Remember his mark?” His words seemed to strike a chord with Minhyuk, who paused in his fervent denial and licked at his lips.</p><p>“But...but that was years ago, when he was still a kid. This is...this is different, Bin! Sanha knows now that we’ll all help.”</p><p>Bin nodded his head. “Of course he knows, but would he want to put us in harm’s way?”</p><p>“But Myungjun has Jinwoo—”</p><p>“And two children, who seemed to have been giving him some trouble lately,” Bin finished, finally remembering his cigarette and smoking on it before it dwindled down much further. </p><p>Minhyuk scowled and looked away, grounding his own cigarette against the building. </p><p>“I’m not saying this theory is correct,” Bin said, gently, trying to soften the effects of his words. “It’s just typical for detectives to explore all possibilities of the situation. No matter what happened, though, Sanha is the victim. If he went willingly to save his friends, or if he was taken against his will, he’s still the one who’s been kidnapped. And we’ll find him. I swear it.”</p><p>Minhyuk was still for a second before nodding his head frantically, as if trying to believe Bin’s reassurances. </p><p>Bin patted his shoulder. “Let’s go back in. I’ll look at a few more things and then, perhaps, we can start planning a trip to—”</p><p>“I want to go back to the apartment first,” Minhyuk blurted out.</p><p>Bin stared at him, confused. “But...we’ve already gathered all the information that we would need from there. I don’t believe there’s nothing left to look at.”</p><p>“I...I know.” Minhyuk nodded his head again and looked at Bin, his form faltering with the weight of his pain. “Just once more. If you don’t go, then I’ll go myself.”</p><p>“It’s a crime scene, at the moment.”</p><p>“It’s my <em> home </em>.”</p><p>Bin sighed before agreeing to Minhyuk’s desires. He knew how grief affected people. He had seen it many times before during his role as police chief, though it wore a different face when it was his friend with such a burden. Not wanting him to hurt longer than necessary, Bin <em> had </em> to agree, and so he gestured to his car without another word.</p><p>Minhyuk followed right behind. He fumbled with his seatbelt and when Bin was on the road, he fumbled with his hands.</p><p>“I don’t know what to do anymore,” he admitted, his voice soft over the hum of the car engine. “I feel like I’ve done all I can to find Sanha, but I feel as if that isn’t enough. And it <em> isn’t </em>, because he isn’t home yet. I have to do more.”</p><p>“You’re not a cop or a detective. You <em> have </em> done all—”</p><p>“I’m his boyfriend. I’m closer to him than anyone. I need to do more.” Minhyuk sighed and rested his head against the window. Bin glanced at him when he reached a red light. He was blinking rapidly and staring at the passing cars. Bin could make out some tears welling at the corners of his eyes, and he sought quickly to comfort his friend the best he could. He wouldn’t do it in the same fake way he treated all of his victims’ family and friends. He had to be sincere; he <em> was </em> sincere.</p><p>“You know how smart Sanha is,” Bin mentioned. “I mean, you two went on that journey together, but from all I heard, it was Sanha who used his powers to escape. And he’ll be able to escape again, mark my words.”</p><p>“Not if he has a witch controlling him,” Minhyuk muttered. “I remember that case you and Dongmin were on about that damn witch controlling her friends. Remember? It was ages ago—”</p><p>“Of course I remember. That’s how Dongmin and I met.” Minhyuk had a point. If there was a strong witch at play, then Sanha would have too much difficulty breaking free from any spell placed on him. He tapped the steering wheel and narrowed his eyes.</p><p>Jinwoo was the main hope they had. Jinwoo had powers to work with, spells he could concoct, magic that could help. And he knew Jinwoo would be easily persuaded to use magic again if it meant finding Sanha.</p><p>“Let’s visit Myungjun and Jinwoo a few days early, shall we?” he asked, grinning over at Minhyuk. “I think we’ll need some powerful magic users on our side.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hit me up on my twitter page <a href="https://twitter.com/thevonseal">@vonseal</a> for spoilers and general nonsense.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>it'll start getting good soon, i promise</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Dongmin knew, beyond a shadow of doubt, that the cases were related.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was no way they weren’t. His murder victim being from the same town Sanha had been kidnapped to was anything but a coincidence. It was connected, and Dongmin </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew</span>
  </em>
  <span> it was connected. He just didn’t know why, outside of the mutual location.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oh Yujin’s mother could be the key to Sanha’s disappearance, however. If he could read her mind and learn more information concerning Yujin’s death,  perhaps he would be able to determine what exactly had happened (and would happen) to Sanha.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So he called her into the station, offering her a sympathetic smile as she took a seat across from the desk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I already told the police everything I know,” Mrs. Oh muttered, looking warily toward Jinwoo. “I told everything to him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo, seated beside Dongmin, nodded “Sorry for calling you back in,” he said. “We just need to make sure we truly have all the information so we can bring justice to Yujin.” He didn’t mention Sanha, but that was fine. Dongmin didn’t want word to spread to civilians. “This is my associate Dongmin,” Jinwoo continued. “He’s from the department in Boryeong.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Recognizing the name as the place her daughter was found, Mrs. Oh nodded her head stiffly, staring down at her lap. Dongmin knew he ought to hurry in the questioning before she fell apart.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Was Oh Yujin a magic user?” he asked, blurting out his inquiry before anyone could stop him. Beside him, Jinwoo gave a sharp intake of breath. Mrs. Oh merely looked frustrated.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As I’ve said before, she wasn’t.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin narrowed his eyes, using his powers to reach into the depths of Mrs. Oh’s mind. He had gotten better at utilizing his magic for cases. Asking specific questions always got him results, and he had even learned to dig a little deeper, prod around the subconscious a bit more, and find thoughts they had yet to push to the forefront of their mind. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Unfortunately, Mrs. Oh’s thoughts didn’t reveal the information Dongmin wanted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wasn’t a magic user.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His frustration mounted. He thought he might be able to find some sort of connection, something to tie Sanha and Yujin together. Instead, he was left at a standstill, and he scribbled his results down furiously on his notepad.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo glanced over at his writing, then asked, “Did she ever hang out with magic users?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mrs. Oh shook her head before responding, “No. She was a proper, young woman.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin looked into her mind again, this time finding </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span> of use. He wrote something else down, moving his notebook so only Jinwoo could see: </span>
  <em>
    <span>lying -- she has been visiting someone who performs magic, not sure which type of magic</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo, a fast reader, had to only merely look once at the notepad before he asked, “And you’ve mentioned before that she didn’t often drink and she never partook in drugs?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No. Again, she was proper.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But that wasn’t entirely accurate. Mrs. Oh’s mind revealed a bit more, and Dongmin wrote, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yujin hid something from her mom, don’t know what it was, mom suspects drugs</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It seemed that was all Jinwoo needed to smile at the woman and ask, “Might we look around her room once more? Dongmin might be able to pinpoint something I’ve yet to notice.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mrs. Oh agreed, and she left first, explaining that she would unlock the house and wait for them. Jinwoo and Dongmin were quick to get in their own car, and once Jinwoo started the engine, Dongmin thought it safe to speak.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you think, Jinwoo?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If she was hanging out with magic users, then I don’t think she was hiding </span>
  <em>
    <span>drugs</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I think she was hiding magic.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “How do you hide magic?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo snorted. “Easy. Potions can look like any regular liquid.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But only witches can make potions.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Exactly.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin looked over at his friend. Jinwoo’s mouth was set in a grim line, and he didn’t take his eyes off the road as he drove. They had assumed a witch had something to do with Sanha’s disappearance; the same witch was likely responsible for Yujin’s demise. In that case, there </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> a connection, and Dongmin really hated that connection.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Still, something bugged him, so he muttered his thoughts out loud. “But that would mean that Yujin took the potion willingly, if she was hiding it from her mom. Why would a normal person take a potion from a magic user. Hell, why would a normal person even have contact with a...a witch, of all people?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, well,” Jinwoo started, and Dongmin corrected himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, I know </span>
  <em>
    <span>you’re</span>
  </em>
  <span> a witch, but it’s...different. I don’t hear about too many witches who go around giving potions out to friends. Anyway, according to Mrs. Oh’s thoughts, Yujin had only recently been seeing a few magic users. The family seems to have the usual disdain about magic otherwise.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Could it be a rebellious stage?” Jinwoo suggested. “Kids go through rebellious stages as they get older.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She was in her twenties.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A late bloomer, then.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin pursed his lips as he thought. It didn’t make sense for a woman in her twenties to rebel against her mother, especially when they seemed to get along just fine. He knew it wasn’t a rebellion; it was something else entirely.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Damn,” he cursed. “I wish there was some way to read minds of the dead.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo remained silent. Dongmin decided to prod a little more.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess we can’t convince Myungjun to use his necromancy, huh?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s asked me if he should,” Jinwoo murmured, still refusing to look in Dongmin’s direction. “But I don’t think it’s good for him to do that. People die; that’s the natural order of things. He can’t raise every innocent victim from the dead, and we shouldn’t expect him to. It’s...I mean, a lot could go wrong—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was joking,” Dongmin commented.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo hesitated, then smiled slightly. “Yeah,” he said, sounding rather exasperated. “I knew that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know you hate talking about magic, but--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not that I hate it. It’s just that Myungjun doesn’t need to keep using his magic. I mean, I even get nervous about him using it on </span>
  <em>
    <span>plants</span>
  </em>
  <span>. What if someone sees? What if someone figures out? We’ve worked so hard to remain inconspicuous and I doubt I could handle it if he was under scrutiny for something like that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He says the same thing about you,” Dongmin pointed out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo’s smile this time was a lot less terse. “He’s always looking out for me,” Jinwoo stated fondly. “He’s the best.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin hummed in response, staring out the window and thinking of Myungjun’s secret. Jinwoo was a wonderful husband; shouldn’t he ought to know what was going on within his family? It wasn’t very fair for Myungjun to hide everything like this, and Dongmin wondered how he could get Jinwoo in on the secret without betraying Myungjun’s trust.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In the end, he could think of nothing, so he merely engaged with small talk the rest of the way, his thoughts chaotic and his heart torn. He decided it would be best to push it all aside for the time being and focus solely on the case at hand, and so he steeled himself as they reached the house.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mrs. Oh led them upstairs and showed them to Yujin’s room. She seemed to not want to stay, as if the memories of her daughter’s disappearance and subsequent murder were too painful to relive. Dongmin didn’t blame her in the slightest, and he dismissed her, saying, “You can wait in the living room. We’ll come down and talk with you when we’re done up here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She left in a hurry, blinking back tears, and Dongmin waited until he heard her footsteps down the hall before asking, “What are we looking for?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Magic. Potions. Anything that can prove she definitely was in contact with a magic user. Perhaps it was a magic user who killed her, or else tried to save her — I want to get a better understanding of the days leading up to her death so that way we can ensure the same thing doesn’t happen to Sanha.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin felt his stomach turn. Thinking of finding poor Sanha dead from unknown forces was a frightening prospect. He hated to imagine what the young man was going through. He hated to imagine a slow, tortuous death just as much as he hated imaging a quick and painless one. Sanha shouldn’t have to suffer; Sanha shouldn’t have to die.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He began searching around the room, pulling on his gloves so he wouldn’t contaminate possible evidence. He lifted mattresses and blankets, rifled through books and journals, and even inspected all of the clothes hanging in the closet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo was the one who finally found something, wedged between a few makeup bags. He made a small </span>
  <em>
    <span>aha</span>
  </em>
  <span> before tugging it out. It was a small, plastic bottle, the type Dongmin had seen paint sold in. Something liquid was at the bottom, sloshing around as Jinwoo shook it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It could be makeup remover,” Dongmin pointed out, though he crept closer, curious as to the contents.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It has no label, though,” Jinwoo pointed out. “I mean, you might be correct, but I feel as if it was purposely shoved back here to remain hidden.” He gently opened the bottle and sniffed, then shrugged his shoulders. “It has no smell.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can you tell what it is?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo glanced behind him at the door, as if ensuring Mrs. Oh wasn’t listening in. “I...I can. Stand guard, alright? I’ll be killed if she sees me doing magic.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin nodded his head, and stationed himself closer to the door. He kept an eye on Jinwoo, watching him collect a drop of the liquid in his hand and close his eyes. Magic energy surrounded him, causing the hair on Dongmin’s arms to stand up straight. He prayed Mrs. Oh was too far to feel the effects, and he moved all the closer to the door, eyes nervously glancing down the hallway from time to time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo’s face was one of pure concentration. He stared at the droplet on his hand, even as it seeped into his skin, and he ran a finger over the plastic bottle, his magic working hard to determine the contents. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finally, all fell calm, and Jinwoo straightened.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well?” Dongmin urged, scurrying over to his friend’s side.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Magic,” Jinwoo grunted. “It’s a potion that contains magic inside of it. It’s not a healing potion, however, nor is it a potion to counteract effects of something else. This </span>
  <em>
    <span>adds</span>
  </em>
  <span> magic. It has a similar structure of a few potions I’ve designed in the past, but it’s much stronger.” He took an evidence bag and plopped the bottle inside of it. “I’ll take this with me. I still have a bit more magic to do, but if my assumptions are correct, then this is magic </span>
  <em>
    <span>for</span>
  </em>
  <span> magic.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin blinked. The sentence made very little sense to him, so he asked, “What does that mean, magic for magic?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean Yujin was drinking this so she could become a magic user. She didn’t finish it all, but it’s likely she had some sort of magic within her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is such a thing possible?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I...I hadn’t thought so.” Jinwoo looked concerned. “I’ve never heard of magic that grants someone magical abilities. If it’s a temporary magic spell, then perhaps it is, but this one seems to be more permanent. When it entered my skin, I could feel it struggling to latch on. It was strong, and that was even without me consuming it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The case had taken a turn Dongmin had not known was possible, so he tried his best to walk through it. “So...Yujin was seeing magic users who have the ability, apparently, to turn </span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span> into a magic user?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Seems so.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And she was killed before she finally turned, likely by the same people turning her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo fell silent and then shrugged his shoulders. “I...I guess. It doesn’t make sense, though. Why go through all the trouble to make such a complex potion only to kill her before the magic took its full effect?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Unless the magic users didn’t kill her,” Dongmin pointed out. “The magic potion itself could’ve killed her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s possible,” Jinwoo muttered, but he didn’t seem to be convinced. “In any case, I think we ought to leave now. We found </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span>, at least, and I want to go home and examine it further.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin agreed, but when they did arrive back at Jinwoo’s house, he was shocked to see Bin’s car in the driveway. Jinwoo also seemed surprised, and asked, “Did Bin tell you he’d be coming over?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course not!” Dongmin replied. “I would’ve said something. He hasn’t told me anything.” All he could remember was their call from earlier about Myungjun’s conversation with Sanha, and Bin hadn’t said anything </span>
  <em>
    <span>then</span>
  </em>
  <span> about coming over. He felt a bit embarrassed that his boyfriend would just pop in with no warning and expect to be cared for; he was even more embarrassed when he entered the house and saw both Bin </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> Minhyuk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin, noticing Dongmin’s presence, grinned widely and left Woojin’s side to greet his boyfriend. He pecked Dongmin on the cheek and asked, “How’s the cutest guy in the world doing?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Great,” responded Jinwoo, offering Bin a tired smile. “And how is the most annoying guy in the world doing?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was just about to kiss you, too, Jinwoo,” Bin said, and he puckered his lips and grabbed onto Jinwoo’s arm, holding him in place to smack a kiss on his cheek, too. Jinwoo grimaced but gave a small laugh as he wiped off saliva.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wish you would’ve said something about coming over,” Jinwoo commented, glancing over at Minhyuk. “And I wish you would’ve said something about bringing a civilian in on the investigation.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why the hell does everyone keep calling me a </span>
  <em>
    <span>civilian?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Minhyuk asked. “Is it, like, some sort of code—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun, absent until just then, popped out of his bedroom and fussed, “Don’t you dare cuss in front of the kids, Minhyuk. Woojin, pretend like you heard nothing, okay? Uncle Minhyuk has a potty mouth.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His words caused Woojin to giggle and stomp around yelling, “Uncle Minhyuk has a potty mouth! Uncle Minhyuk has a potty mouth!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All in all, it was a bit too loud and chaotic, especially when Soojin joined in with Woojin’s celebration, flapping her hands up and down wildly as she babbled nonsense. Dongmin shot Myungjun a look, who pointedly ignored him as he scooped Soojin into his arms, holding her protectively.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dongmin’s already got the guest bedroom,” Myungjun commented, raising his voice to be heard over Woojin’s chant. “So Bin can sleep with him, and Minhyuk can sleep — Woojin, keep it up and I’ll make you sleep on the roof.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Woojin giggled again, but he quieted down and chose to latch onto Bin’s leg instead, grubby fingers gripping onto his pants. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun, having the silence he needed, continued, “Minhyuk can sleep on the couch, if that’s alright. I wish I had known you two were coming—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s fine,” Minhyuk assured. “I wasn’t going to come, it’s just...we could really use Jinwoo’s help.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo sighed, running a hand tiredly over his face. “I’m doing everything I can, Minhyuk.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We need you to…” Minhyuk glanced down at Woojin, who stared back at him with wide, innocent eyes. Woojin was unaware of the magic his parents possessed, and Dongmin knew that Minhyuk was wary of mentioning anything in front of the children.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sensing what he was going to say, Jinwoo muttered, “I’m doing it, alright? I just…” He trailed off before turning suddenly to his husband. “Jun, mind taking the kids outside for a bit?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun chewed on the inside of his lip, looking incredibly frustrated. Still, he said nothing, only hesitated for a second or two before snapping out, “Soojin’s tired. I don’t want to keep stressing her out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Going outside won’t stress her out,” Jinwoo argued. “She loves the outdoors.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin, sensing an argument brewing, was quick to ask, “Could Woojin watch her? Or maybe they can go to their—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His interference went unnoticed as Myungjun fussed. “She’s been outside a lot today; we need to cook dinner, anyway, since we have three extra mouths to feed, and I’m—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I really need to talk to Bin and Dongmin,” Jinwoo said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t need to talk to Bin,” Myungjun responded. “He’s the police chief; you aren’t required to speak with him. And clearly you shouldn’t drag Minhyuk into this, even if he is Sanha’s boyfriend, because it could involve a conflict of interest, or something, and Soojin isn’t—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s already a conflict of interest!” Jinwoo exclaimed, voice growing louder as his anger also grew. “Just take the kids outside for five damn minutes, Myungjun!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As soon as the words left his mouth, Jinwoo seemed to realize what he said and the tone of voice he used. He shook his head frantically, apologizing, “I didn’t mean to yell, Jun. I’m...I’m sorry. I’m stressed, and I just...I don’t want to discuss...you-know-what with the kids in the house.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun merely glared at Jinwoo, and without another word to his friends, he pulled Woojin off of Bin and whispered, “Take your sister outside, alright? Backyard. Play on the swings for a bit. If Soojin gets tired, just let her play with her doll, okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Woojin, as if sensing the anger between his parents, nodded his head and took his sister’s hand. They ran out the backdoor, quiet as could be.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin swallowed nervously. He hadn’t expected to be involved in a domestic dispute, and yet here he was. He knew Myungjun was worried and stressed, and he knew Jinwoo was overworked and exhausted. He hoped that with his presence, perhaps he could lighten the load from both their shoulders.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He knew that task would be difficult, though, when Minhyuk demanded, “Jinwoo, you need to use all the magic you can to find Sanha.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hit me up on my twitter page <a href="https://twitter.com/thevonseal">@vonseal</a> for spoilers and general nonsense.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>we're getting somewhere. idk how to write mystery. sorry.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Bin knew better than to let Minhyuk barrel into his request in such a manner. He could see the stress written all over Jinwoo’s face; with Myungjun clearly under just as much stress, there was bound to be too much tension.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sure enough, Jinwoo frowned and asked, “What makes you think I’m not utilizing my magic?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span> use magic,” Minhyuk responded, his voice hoarse with desperation and unshed tears. “Sanha has been kidnapped and might be in pain, and I know you’re sitting here on your ass--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin broke in. “Minhyuk, please. I know you’re upset.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course I’m fucking upset!” Minhyuk snapped. “This is </span>
  <em>
    <span>my</span>
  </em>
  <span> boyfriend we’re talking about. It’s been two days! I know from having all my friends in the force that two days is...it’s not a good outlook for a kidnapped victim.” He swallowed thickly, his chin quivering. Bin wanted to reach out and hug him, to hold him close and comfort him, but he knew Minhyuk wouldn’t care for such sympathy. Minhyuk was a man of action, and he expected everyone to take the same amount of action he would.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And, honestly, in a case like this, they ought to be taking action right away. Sanha was a close friend and Bin would be damned if he let anything else terrible happen to his friend.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I did use magic,” Jinwoo responded. He sounded too exhausted to snap, or to fuss, and so he collapsed on the couch instead and gestured over to Dongmin. “We found something in Yujin’s room.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yujin?” Minhyuk wrinkled his nose. “You mean the dead girl?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo nodded and Dongmin produced the plastic bag that held the small container. Everyone stared at it, intrigued, and Dongmin thought it best to explain.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jinwoo performed some magic on it to see if he could figure out what liquid was inside. It’s...magic.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun’s eyes widened and he swiveled his head around to stare at Jinwoo. “Like one of your potions?” he questioned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo shook his head. “Much, </span>
  <em>
    <span>much</span>
  </em>
  <span> stronger than any of my potions. It’s a magic potion that will turn the drinker into a magic user. Yujin, I’m assuming, drank some of this. I have no idea why she wished to become magic, nor do I have any idea what </span>
  <em>
    <span>type</span>
  </em>
  <span> of magic she was planning on utilizing. Perhaps witchcraft, or necromancy; though, if I had to make a guess, I would go with something a little more socially-acceptable. Like Dongmin’s magic.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But I really don’t think the type of magic is necessarily important here,” Dongmin pointed out, glancing over at Bin. “She drank a potion in order to turn into a magic user, and then she was killed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Could the potion have killed her?” Bin asked. “Was it too strong? Or maybe the magic screwed with something inside of her body?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s where my thoughts have headed,” Jinwoo muttered. “And I think Sanha has something to do with this group.” He chose to look at the ground as he spoke, as if too nervous to meet anyone’s eye directly. Bin couldn’t blame him. The situation had strained their nerves, and everyone was ready to snap.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“In order to create potions to turn other people into magic users,” Jinwoo continued, “they would </span>
  <em>
    <span>need</span>
  </em>
  <span> magic users. I don’t think even a powerful witch can do something like this on their own, but I have heard of witches taking powers from other magic users. It’s extremely rare, and only done by the most powerful of witches, but it </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> possible. Because it seems they operate in this area, and because Sanha was brought over here from Boryeong, I think it’s safe to assume that they’re using him for something to help their potions succeed. They could be stealing his magic, or they could be changing his magic, or they could be forcing the potions onto him for testing; regardless, there’s a high chance he’s still alive.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There’d better be a one hundred-percent chance,” Minhyuk growled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun sent him a glare as if trying to shut him up, then asked, “How can we trace Sanha back to this group? How can we find them if we don’t even know who </span>
  <em>
    <span>they</span>
  </em>
  <span> are?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We have reason to suspect they knew you, Myungjun,” Dongmin mentioned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin nodded his head, suddenly remembering what Minhyuk had told them the morning Sanha went missing. In all the rush and excitement and confusion, he had forgotten to ask Myungjun about it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun blinked, surprise etched onto his face. “They...knew </span>
  <em>
    <span>me?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” he asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They knew </span>
  <em>
    <span>of</span>
  </em>
  <span> you. It’s likely an old customer, or some acquaintance. Do you remember having serviced any other magic users?” Dongmin countered, awaiting Myungjun’s response.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After a slight moment of hesitation, Myungjun shook his head. “I mean...I served many magic users. Most of my clientele were magic users. I don’t...I don’t know. What did he look like?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We don’t know,” Minhyuk said, running his fingers through his hair. “Sanha was the only one who met with him, and he never really told me what he looked like. Just that he was an older man.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun narrowed his eyes, as if trying to decipher the unhelpful description in his mind. Unfortunately, he ended up shrugging his shoulders and muttering, “I had many old customers. That’s too vague.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We thought so,” Dongmin replied. He sighed and sat down next to Jinwoo, looking at the evidence he held in his lap. “We’ll search around. We’ll try and figure out if there are any magic users nearby who might know of this new potion. If you guys know--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s a bar Jinwoo and I have been to before,” Myungjun blurted out suddenly. “It’s run-down and looks like shit, but it houses magic users. If you wanted to go there and ask some of them, read their minds a bit, you might figure out </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Thankful for Myungjun’s connections, Bin finally spoke up. “That’d be very helpful. Dongmin, you and Jinwoo ought to do that tonight. I’ll reconnect with our old chief of Gangnam. He’s retired, but I think he’ll be able to offer some assistance.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do I do?” Minhyuk asked, looking rather offended at being left out. “He’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>my</span>
  </em>
  <span> boyfriend, so I think I should be doing </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” He pointed a finger to Jinwoo, who had opened his mouth, and snapped, “And if you say </span>
  <em>
    <span>you’re a civilian</span>
  </em>
  <span>, then I’ll punch you in the face, Jinwoo.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo closed his mouth again and sighed before exchanging a helpless look with Dongmin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was Bin who finally spoke up regarding the issue. “Go with Dongmin and Jinwoo,” he murmured, waving a hand. “It’s not like you can do much harm in this case.” Minhyuk was smart enough to stay in the shadows as Jinwoo and Dongmin investigated. Minhyuk never did like to push himself to the forefront. Besides, Bin understood his desperation. If it was Dongmin who had gone missing instead of Sanha, Bin would stop at nothing to find him again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pleased with the results of his nagging, Minhyuk nodded his head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo still looked slightly exasperated, but said nothing to counter Bin’s orders. He merely shrugged his shoulders and stood from the couch. “Jun, I’m sorry for rushing off again. Dongmin and I will pick up dinner while we’re out. You’re okay with putting the kids to bed tonight, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was some hesitation before Myungjun nodded his head. Stress was evident in his expression, and Bin thought it best to add, “I can help.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t have to,” Myungjun sighed. “I’ll give them a bath first, and then--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Seriously, I don’t mind helping. I love your kids.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took another few seconds for Myungjun to offer him a small smile. It was fleeting, however, so fast that Bin thought he might have missed it. Myungjun turned his head and kissed Jinwoo chastly before patting his cheek. “I’ll be fine. Go find Sanha, alright?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Everyone had their orders and their goals. Bin could only hope that something was discovered that would finally move the case along.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s all that noise in the background?” was the first thing out of the chief’s mouth when Bin phoned him. He should have expected as much. Chief Choi was never one for greetings, apparently. Besides, it hadn’t been that long since they had last spoken; as Dongmin’s self-proclaimed adopted-father, Chief Choi called at least once a week. Apparently, he texted even more, and Dongmin would roll his eyes often at whatever stupid messages the chief had chosen to send. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin always reminded him, in those moments, that he truly did look like a son responding to his father’s outrageous texts. Dongmin would hit him with a pillow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In this instance, Bin put his hand over the speaker of his cell phone and raised his eyebrows at Woojin. “Hey,” he whispered, “let’s not yell out the national anthem while I’m on the phone with my old boss, hm?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Woojin gave him a sheepish smile and crawled onto the couch next to him. He nuzzled into Bin’s side, his dampened hair causing a wet mark to form on Bin’s shirt. Bin rolled his eyes but returned to his phone, giving Woojin’s tummy a quick pat. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry. I’m staying for a bit with Myungjun and Jinwoo. We’re working on a case.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The chief made a small, sympathetic noise. “I heard. Dongmin told me. Your friend went missing, yeah?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Woojin tried to grab at the phone, whining about a game he wanted to play, but Bin held him back. “Jinwoo and Dongmin found something weird, though, at the house of our other case.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The dead girl?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You really like to keep up with these, don’t you?” Bin teased. He succeeded in fighting off Woojin, who retreated to the other side of the couch with a small pout, keeping his eyes on the children’s television show Myungjun had turned on.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The chief laughed and responded, “Since my retirement, I don’t get much else to do. I live vicariously through Dongmin; minus the sex, of course.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I forgot why it’s always so difficult to talk to you,” Bin muttered, hopeful that his cheeks weren’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>too</span>
  </em>
  <span> red. The last thing he needed was for Woojin to take notice of his discomfort and tattle on him. Myungjun was scary when he was protecting the innocence of his children.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anyway,” Bin continued before Chief Choi could say anything else embarrassing, “they found a bottle that contains some sort of liquid. I don’t know what it is, exactly, but Jinwoo claims it’s magic to make others magic.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Magic to...oh! Oh, I’ve heard of that!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You have?” Bin was impressed. He hadn’t realized it would be so easy to get an answer for the strange liquid. He grabbed his laptop, laying close by, geared to write down whatever the chief had to say.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. It’s this group that utilizes strong witches in order to create magic that others can then consume. Very rare, and very difficult to attain. They operate in secrecy and no one knows much of them. I was asked to join their ranks, but I had to refuse.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin wrote down all that he could, though he found typing with one hand a little difficult. He tucked the phone between his ear and shoulder and asked, “Do you know </span>
  <em>
    <span>where</span>
  </em>
  <span> they operate?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No. They sent me an email request, and I found it’s untraceable. Everything else I learned from them has been little whispers here and there from other magic users. Some of it seems like rumors, so it’s difficult to tell what’s legitimate and what isn’t.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Could you send me the email?” Bin asked excitedly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course. I’ll forward it to you right now. I didn’t think their operation would already be working, though. It seemed like such an unprofessional email.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It was an unprofessional murder, too. I mean, they hid </span>
  <em>
    <span>how</span>
  </em>
  <span> they murdered the poor girl, we still don’t have that information, but they just dumped her body in a creek and left it at that. Seems a little messy for such a secretive group, doesn’t it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was unfortunate, of course, that he forgot Woojin was in the room. Woojin, who had turned wide eyes onto Bin and asked, “Murder means </span>
  <em>
    <span>killed</span>
  </em>
  <span>, doesn’t it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin almost swore, but remembered himself at the last second and blurted out, “Sh</span>
  <em>
    <span>iiiiinsplit</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He heard the chief laughing over the phone (</span>
  <em>
    <span>the stupid bastard,</span>
  </em>
  <span> he thought to himself), and he had to place a hand over the speaker, once again, and whisper, “No. It doesn’t mean </span>
  <em>
    <span>killed</span>
  </em>
  <span>. And I wasn’t talking about murder. I was talking about mundane. As in, </span>
  <em>
    <span>boring</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Woojin looked rather unimpressed with the explanation. “I know you were talking about killing!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, I wasn’t.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Daddy says we can’t talk about that in this house.” Then, before Bin could stop him, Woojin raised his voice and loudly shouted, “Dad! Uncle Bin is doing bad language!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin hung up on the chief, who seemed to find the situation hilarious, and quickly grabbed Woojin, trying his best to place a hand over his mouth to keep him quiet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Of course, it was then that Myungjun chose to walk into the room, a towel-wrapped Soojin resting on his hip. Myungjun, wet with bathwater and still looking rather exhausted, turned all of his fury onto Bin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Bin?” he asked, his voice sickly sweet, “Why are you manhandling my child?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Woojin took the moment to break free of Bin’s grasp. He climbed over the couch and rushed to his dad, explaining, “He was talking about killing!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun glared. “I thought I said to do that outside, Bin.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wasn’t--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Now you got my kid all worked up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I had to talk to--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You need to apologize to Woojin, please.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He loved the children, he truly did, but apologizing to a child for no wrong-doing seemed a bit humiliating. In any other circumstance he might have argued the command, but he had too much to do and not enough time. So he swallowed his pride and said, “Woojin, I am terribly sorry. I made a mistake. Do you forgive me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Woojin, seemingly pleased with having an adult apologize to him, nodded his head wildly. “Yup!” he exclaimed, and all was forgiven. He began to tug on Myungjun instead, asking, “Can Uncle Bin tell me a bedtime story, please? I really want a bedtime story!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun sighed and nodded his head. “Alright. I’ll make that his punishment.” Then, to Bin, he added, “And if Woojin has a nightmare, you also have to put him back to bed. It’s a two-part punishment.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s not fair.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not fair that you’re using work language around my kids,” Myungjun scolded. Bin felt like quite the kid himself. When was the last time he was scolded by someone who wasn’t his boyfriend? Hell, even his parents had learned to take a backseat to his life and let him make his own decisions. Myungjun was the first person to look down on him like some sort of angry father.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So Bin had nothing else to do except reluctantly agree to Myungjun’s punishments. He had to take the kids to bed, tuck them in, and make up some sort of story on the fly, which Woojin informed him was “pretty bad, Uncle Bin.” Soojin merely stared the entire time, even though Bin attempted to sign part of the story to her (until Woojin informed him, “That’s the sign for live, not sun.”)</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He turned on their nightlight, kissed them both good night, and exited the room quietly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun stood in the hallway, having watched Bin closely to make sure he followed through with the punishment (and, likely, to make sure Bin’s story didn’t derail into some sort of crime drama). His tough demeanor had dissipated and he smiled lightly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry for that,” he murmured. “Gotta set a good example for the kids, though, especially Woojin. I just don’t need him going to school talking about </span>
  <em>
    <span>murder</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I’d have a bunch of traumatized kids in that class. I’m sure the principal would ban Woojin from ever speaking again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin shrugged his shoulders. “It was my fault,” he admitted. “I should’ve gone outside. It’s just...once Chief Choi confirmed he knew something, then from there it was--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hold on!” Myungjun blinked. “He knows about Sanha?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, he knows Sanha’s missing. I meant more about the weird potion Jinwoo and Dongmin found. The chief knows about it!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun looked ready to ask more questions, but then thought better of it when he glanced at the door to the kid’s room. He grabbed Bin’s arm and led him to the living room instead, where he asked, “What does he know about it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin opened up his laptop to read through his notes and then popped open the email the chief had forwarded to him. He allowed Myungjun the chance to skim over it, then added, “It adds up, I guess. The chief seemed certain that they’re a newer organization, and quite unprofessional. They probably don’t have their potions solidified just yet, and so Oh Yujin was a trial run. She died because the potions ruined something inside of her that we haven’t figured out yet, and so they captured Sanha for…” He trailed off. “Maybe to test the effects on a magic user?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun seemed to be rereading the email, as if searching for clues. He apparently found nothing of use and set the laptop down again with a sigh. “I mean...maybe that’s it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t think so?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know. I’m not a detective, so I’m not going to make any speculation.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t have to be a detective to make speculation,” Bin pointed out. “I mean, Minhyuk’s doing enough of that as is.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Minhyuk’s stressed,” Myungjun defended, then narrowed his eyes down at the laptop. “Why would they contact your old chief, though?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin opened his mouth to explain, but Myungjun waved him off, “I mean, I know he’s a witch. I’m not </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> stupid. Sanha confirmed it. I just...he lives in the Gangnam district, doesn’t he? Except they’re operating down here, and dumping bodies in Boryeong. Are they a national organization?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun had posed some good questions. Bin hadn’t had the chance to think of anything since he prematurely ended his phone call with the chief. He bent over to type in Myungjuns questions, then rose with a huff of breath.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“At least we have three detectives here working on it,” he murmured. He glanced at Myungjun, at the worried expression on his face, and assured, “We’ll figure it out. We’re even closer than we were before. Don’t worry.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wished he could believe his own comforting words.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hit me up on my twitter page <a href="https://twitter.com/thevonseal">@vonseal</a> for spoilers and general nonsense.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i actually have this planned out, whoa. here we go!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Myungjun had been correct; the bar that magic users frequented </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> run-down and it </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> look like shit. Used to the finer things in life, Dongmin wrinkled his nose at the broken glass that littered the parking lot and the trash piled up in various places.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No offense,” he muttered as he climbed out of the car, “but you and Myungjun come here?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo seemed to have expected such a response to the location. He laughed lightly and shrugged his shoulders. “There’s not too many places to meet other magic users,” he commented.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk eyed the building suspiciously. “Won’t people talk if they see the head detective hanging out in a place like this?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Magic users don’t typically snitch on each other. Besides, I’ve never told anyone here what exactly I am. I think that </span>
  <em>
    <span>they</span>
  </em>
  <span> think I’m normal and just supportive of my necromancer husband.” He nodded to a couple sitting on some boxes outside and smoking. “Besides, most people who don’t know about this place just think it’s a nasty bar.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They walked inside. It was a smoky room with only a handful of people scattered about. None of them looked to be exemplary members of society, and Dongmin briefly wondered why Jinwoo and Myungjun would choose to spend their time here.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But then he saw someone illuminate a burned-out bulb above their heads and he realized they wanted to mingle amongst their own. Identity was extremely important, and without their magic-using or even magic-accepting friends in Boryeong, they likely felt lost often. Once in this bar, they could relax and be themselves.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo smiled at an older, dirty-looking woman who had on a shirt two sizes too large and yellow teeth. Her hair was falling out and a big bald patch was visible. Still, Jinwoo hugged her like they were old friends.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How are you doing, Jinwoo?” she asked, her voice scratchy and deep.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Doing good, Mrs. Cho.” Jinwoo took a seat beside her, then glanced back at Dongmin and Minhyuk. “Mingle,” he ordered. “Talk. You both fit in here, don’t worry.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mrs. Cho eyed them suspiciously. “Magic users?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Jinwoo responded. He didn’t seem ready to get into the specifics, and for that, Dongmin was grateful. He knew his magic wasn’t nearly as invasive as most peoples’ magic. He lived in fear of being caught, but it was difficult to prove his own magic. Everyone else had magic that manifested itself in physical form. He was on a different tier than they were.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk nudged him and Dongmin looked at his friend.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You always stand there with this pensive look on your face,” Minhyuk pointed out. “Stop thinking so hard.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think it’s important to think hard, especially for this case.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, it is,” Minhyuk agreed, “but right now I think action is more important than thinking is.” He looked around the bar and his eyes landed on a middle-aged man with a scruffy beard. “Here, why don’t you go talk to him?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin tightened his lips. How would he go about starting a casual conversation with this man? If he had to turn it into an investigation, what should he say to get the ball rolling? Bin ought to have come with him; Bin was always so much more charismatic. Dongmin tended to be more awkward and less prepared for social situations. He blamed his terrible upbringing. A lack of childhood friends was sure to stunt his growth in the social department.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As if sensing his hesitation, Minhyuk sighed and walked over to the man himself, gesturing sharply for Dongmin to follow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey,” Minhyuk greeted, taking a seat beside the man, who regarded Minhyuk with distrust. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you want?” the man asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing. Just a friendly ear to talk to.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then you got the wrong guy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk scoffed. “I like you. My name’s Minhyuk. Behind me hovering awkwardly is Dongmin. You don’t have to talk to him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The man raised his eyebrows at Dongmin and seemed to take Minhyuk’s words to heart, for he said nothing to Dongmin. “I don’t have to tell you my name, do I?” he asked Minhyuk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk shook his head. “Nah. That’s cool. Dongmin’s a mind-reader, though, so he can get it out of you anyway.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>While Dongmin glowered and the man stared, Minhyuk ordered three beers. He passed them out; one for Dongmin, who was trying not to hyperventilate, one for the man, who was suspicious now, and one for himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk took a large gulp before placing the glass down and saying, “My boyfriend’s gone missing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin stared at Minhyuk with wide eyes. He really jumped right into things, didn’t he? Dongmin wasn’t sure whether to be impressed or frustrated. He decided on a mixture of both, and he sat down beside his friend, wondering if he ought to step in and take over the interrogation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then again, it’s not like he would do much better. He hated schmoozing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your boyfriend?” the man repeated.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. He’s tall and skinny and looks like a child.” Minhyuk took out his phone and passed it over, pointing to the lock screen photo. “That’s us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The man looked down at it. “Oh,” he murmured, “yeah, he is tall.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Have you ever seen him?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nope.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk nudged Dongmin, who took his cue. He dug a little into the man’s mind, trying to determine whether it was a truth or a lie.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was true. The man had no recognition of anyone who looked like that. Dongmin gave Minhyuk a little shake of his head and Minhyuk sighed before pulling his phone away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who took him?” the man asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No idea. I think it was a witch.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A witch?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk really did give out information too readily. Still, at least he was doing something. Dongmin decided to watch and utilize his own skills in order to determine accuracy of the man’s statements.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. They took him from Boryeong and brought him down here. I don’t know why the hell anyone would kidnap him and bring him here, do you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The man gave a small hum and scratched at the beard on his chin. “Well,” he started, “there’ve been these strange people recently. A couple of them have come in and have had some conversations with a few of the magic users, asking if they’re satisfied with being treated as second-class citizens. Sometimes people who are curious will go outside with them, but they don’t say nothing if they’ve heard or seen anything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk glanced over at Dongmin, and Dongmin decided to take over. What the man was saying was interesting, and he wanted to hear more.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you mean, asking people if they’re satisfied?” he inquired.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The man scoffed. “I mean, they ask, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hey, you happy with being kicked around and threatened and killed?</span>
  </em>
  <span> And, I mean, none of us </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but only a few will give them the time of day.” The man sipped at his beer and said, thoughtfully, “I think it’s a protest.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There had certainly been a few more protests in the past couple of years. Dongmin had yet to attend any; he didn’t think he ever would. He was frightened to tell anyone he was a magic user. He didn’t suppose such a small town had many protests, however. Jinwoo and Myungjun had never mentioned them, in any case. Dongmin decided to prod a bit further.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you know who, exactly, has spoken to these people?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The man pursed his lips and then looked back at his drink. “No.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was lying. It was quite obvious. Dongmin had to applaud him, though, for lying to the face of a mind reader. He sure had guts, that was certain.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk was quick to point out, “I already said he’s a mind-reader, idiot. He’ll figure out anything you might be hiding.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The man glared over at Minhyuk, then at Dongmin. “Don’t,” he warned. “I don’t want my friends in trouble.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They aren’t in trouble. Why the hell would I get them in trouble? I’m a magic-user myself. Minhyuk’s boyfriend is a magic-user. We don’t come seeking trouble; we’re merely trying to figure out what happened to our friend.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t want to use his powers, not just yet. They were invasive and he knew better than to pick into the minds of every single person. He only utilized his powers if people would not cooperate. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>would</span>
  </em>
  <span> use them if necessary, but he wanted the man to give him the information on his own free will.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fortunately, the man only hesitated for a little bit before blurting out, “One is Sekyung.” He pointed to a table where a young woman sat, texting on her phone and occasionally speaking to another young woman across from her. “She talked to the strange man. Didn’t tell us much. Don’t...don’t get her in trouble, please. We’re just trying to make do with our lives.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin breathed a sigh of relief. He wouldn’t have to use his powers yet; of course, he might have to later if Sekyung was uncooperative, but he hoped not. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you,” he murmured to the man. “I’ll buy you another drink before I leave.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The man waved him off, already looking away. “Don’t bother. I don’t need much.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t appear to want to talk anymore, and so Dongmin left him, leading Minhyuk over to the young woman.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They approached her table with all the subtlety of two men on a mission. She noticed them instantly and narrowed her eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can I help you?” she asked, her voice rich and light.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My name is Lee Dongmin,” Dongmin greeted. He pat the business cards in his pocket and decided not to pull those out just yet. He knew better than to reveal himself as a detective to magic users. Magic users distrusted the police, and for good reason. No, he would ease into this. He would have to pull some charisma from deep within. He would have to copy what he always saw Bin doing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was talking to, um...to that gentleman over there, who told us you had a conversation with some strange men asking if you were satisfied with being a magic user.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sekyung seemed wary. She raised both her eyebrows and asked, “So?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So, um...I was wondering what they said to you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Exactly what you heard; they asked if I was satisfied with my position in life.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And what?” Sekyung snorted. “Of course I’m not; none of us are. What’s it to you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin cleared his throat. God, he really was terrible with this sort of thing. He wished he had Bin’s natural social skills. “I, um, I’m...look, I’m a detective for Boryeong. I’m a magic user, too,” he added, noticing her eyes widen with panic. “I’m not trying to bring you any trouble. I’m looking for a young man who appears to have been kidnapped and brought here. There’s also been a young woman who was killed here, and we believe both cases are connected and both cases have something to do with magic users. I’m simply following up on a lead and investigating strangers within the community.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sekyung seemed to regard his words with an ounce of distrust. Dongmin decided then to give her his business card. “I’m legit,” he assured as she surveyed the card.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay.” She hummed and tucked the card into her pocket. “You won’t tell on me, will you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You won’t let anyone know I do magic?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course not.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She drummed her fingers across the table. “They...they tried to persuade me that I could rise up and fight back. They told me I didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> to take all the abuse and insults. They told me I could use my powers and come out on top.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin swallowed thickly. He shared a glance with Minhyuk, who appeared quite restless and nervous.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And,” he continued with his questioning, “what did you say to them?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She met his gaze. “That I’d think about it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“About waging war?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that what it is?” She shrugged her shoulders. “I guess. Maybe. Wars have been fought over lesser things.” She grabbed some mixed nuts from the bowl in front of her and shared a smile with her friend, still sitting across and listening to the conversation with interest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin didn’t want to argue with her. In fact, he could agree and even sympathize. While he could never and would never condone violence, he understood the desire and the frustrations. He had witnessed firsthand how much magic users suffered. Of course they would seek for acceptance, even if he believed war to be the wrong route to take.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk nudged Dongmin, effectively pulling Dongmin from his thoughts. He glowered and whispered, “What do you think this has to do with Sanha, though?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a fantastic question. Sanha never seemed like the person to agree to what the strange people had been asking. Sanha chose to stick to the shadows and to utilize his powers very little. He led a relatively good life, his secret kept safe by family and friends, and never had a desire for anything bigger than a simple existence. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin furrowed his eyebrows and shrugged his shoulders before addressing Sekyung once again. “Thanks for your help. If you remember anything about the conversation, or if you see those men again, please don’t hesitate to call or text.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She nodded her head dismissively. Dongmin got the feeling he wouldn’t hear from her again, and, frustrated, he retreated back to Jinwoo, who had been furiously talking, writing, and texting for the past several minutes. When Jinwoo saw Dongmin, he greeted him with a small smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Find anything out?” he asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin and Minhyuk shared a glance, and it was Minhyuk who mumbled, “I don’t know.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Jinwoo looked at Dongmin curiously, Dongmin clarified, “There have been men trying to stir up several patrons of the bar into possibly protesting or attacking normal people. I don’t know if this relates to Sanha, but it does appear to be a relatively new thing, so it’s something we might want to look into.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo appeared a bit thoughtful and pursed his lips. “Interesting,” he murmured.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What about you?” Minhyuk asked, ready to advance their investigation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing from the patrons here,” Jinwoo replied, “but Myungjun texted. Dongmin, your old chief has some sort of information about a group who has been possibly coming up with potions to give normal people magic. I don’t know how Sanha would play into this, but Bin thinks it’s possible they’re experimenting in order to perfect their potion; Yujin was an experiment that unfortunately met her demise.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin fished his own phone out of his pocket. He always put it on silent, and he never did like the vibrations interrupting investigations, so he had turned those off. Sure enough, he had several missed texts from his own boyfriend concerning such information.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dammit,” he muttered, wishing he had been able to learn about that before he went off on a different hunch. “So which one of these leads do we follow?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo sighed. “The potion one seems more fruitful at the moment. That one, at least, has a witch or two behind it </span>
  <em>
    <span>making</span>
  </em>
  <span> the potions. We already believe a witch to be the one behind Sanha’s disappearance, and so there’s more of a connection there. I believe the strange men here are simply trying to stir up a rebellion.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rebellions had happened before, elsewhere in Korea and in the rest of the world. The worst of those rebellions had been in Russia, though it was quickly stifled. It helped when the government, normally averse to firing upon normal people, had no qualms with killing magic users.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s such a tiny town to stage a rebellion, though,” Dongmin pointed out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean, we’ve had some unruly protestors before. And the people causing the rebellions are likely trying to start it in smaller towns. There’s less of a chance they’ll be killed here.” He added, a bit pensively, “Or maybe they know our department is lax on magic users, thanks to my influence.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin’s brain was swirling with all of this information. Protestors and uprisings and witches and potions for normal people and Sanha’s disappearance and Myungjun’s struggles -- he didn’t know what to think anymore and he sighed loudly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Potions,” he muttered. “Witches. We follow that lead.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s right.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So we regroup back at your place. If the Chief has information, then he’ll stop at nothing to get us to the right people. We work with the Chief, figure out where these magic users have their base, and, hopefully, get Sanha back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At the mention of his boyfriend, Minhyuk tensed where he stood beside Dongmin. Jinwoo offered him a comforting smile and said, “We </span>
  <em>
    <span>will</span>
  </em>
  <span> get him back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know,” Minhyuk responded, voice cracking.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sanha’s smart,” Jinwoo continued. “Super smart. And, hey, if he uses his powers, he can escape their grasp.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then why </span>
  <em>
    <span>hasn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> he?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk made a valid point, but Jinwoo was not deterred. “He might be waiting for the right time. Don’t worry; I swear we’ll get him back. I’m not going to stop searching until I find him. Sanha means a lot to </span>
  <em>
    <span>all </span>
  </em>
  <span>of us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Indeed, Jinwoo was correct. The lack of Sanha’s presence was noticeable. Their small group of friends was not complete without their youngest, and Dongmin sorely missed him. He was loud and funny and wild. He got along well with Myungjun’s chaotic antics, and yet he was quiet and calm and sweet to little Soojin. And out of all of them, Sanha probably deserved the least to be kidnapped and uprooted and stored away like some sort of </span>
  <em>
    <span>experiment</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Sanha had already been through enough as it was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk nodded his head to Jinwoo’s promise. He looked ready to break, to cry, but Dongmin knew he would not like to do so in public. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Quickly, Dongmin asked, “Shall we go back home, then, or ask around here a bit more?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo glanced at Minhyuk, and recognizing his fragile state of mind, replied, “Let’s go back home. You can call the Chief and annoy him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fantastic.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk, tears in his eyes, merely nodded his head, and Dongmin felt his own resolve almost break at the forlorn expression in Minhyuk’s eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He would figure this out, no matter how long it took. He had promised Myungjun and Jinwoo and Bin and Minhyuk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He promised himself, too.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hit me up on my twitter page <a href="https://twitter.com/thevonseal">@vonseal</a> for spoilers and general nonsense.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i apologize for the bad binu (or lack OF binu)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When he normally woke up beside Dongmin, he liked to roll over on top of his boyfriend and kiss his nose a little bit to wake him up, too. Sometimes, he would cuddle for a long time; other times, they would be forced to climb out of bed and ready themselves for a day at the office. Whatever the case, waking up alongside his boyfriend was nothing short of fantastic.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This morning, however, he could only stare helplessly at his boyfriend, who was wide awake and gazing despondently up at the ceiling.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin stretched and asked, “Did you sleep?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Somewhat.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Minnie, you need to sleep.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just…” Dongmin sighed and rolled over to face Bin. “I always get a bit fidgety when someone is kidnapped, or when I can’t learn of a murder. I don’t care who it is, I get nervous if I can’t solve it instantly. But now it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sanha</span>
  </em>
  <span> who’s kidnapped, and a murder is connected to his kidnapping, and I just…” He bit down on his lip. “What if I can’t figure it out?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin shook his head. He kissed Dongmin’s cheek and responded, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>We</span>
  </em>
  <span> will figure it out. You have three detectives and two very smart and willing friends. Between the five of us, surely we can find him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Dongmin still seemed a bit glum and sullen, Bin sat up. “And we’re starting early today, you know that. We already have a fantastic lead. We have the Chief working with us. We’ll get Sanha back by the end of the week; I’m sure of it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Dongmin muttered. He, too, sat up in the small guest bed they had been given. He yawned and then swung his legs over the edge of the bed. His hand scrambled around for his glasses. The moment he found them, the bedroom door suddenly burst open and in ran Woojin, followed closely behind by his little sister.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re awake!” Woojin announced, jumping up on the bed. Soojin climbed up after him, babbling a bit as she normally did, nonsensical words spilling out of her mouth as she grabbed onto the edge of one of their bedsheets and tugged on it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin wasn’t sure what she was doing, but he decided not to comment on it. Soojin had always been a little bit different. Jinwoo always informed him that being deaf and not understanding speech could be the root behind it all; Myungjun, however, seemed adamant that she was a normal girl, and her personality was just fun and unique.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin tried to pull her close, to give her a cuddle and some kisses, but she screeched the moment his hand came near. Dongmin winced at the sound, and Bin sought to placate the young girl.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shh, don’t do that, Soojin. I’m sorry. Look, look,” and he signed </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sorry</span>
  </em>
  <span> in order to stop the chaos.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her screeching ended as suddenly as it had begun. She went back to babbling and playing with the bedsheets.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Woojin didn’t seem concerned at all by his little sister. He was used to it, apparently, and he instantly delved into his own worries. “Dad’s gone and he says to let you know that you’re in charge of me today. You get to babysit us!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Myungjun’s gone?” Bin asked, confused. He checked his phone; it was rather early, far too early for Myungjun to go off by himself. “What time does his shop open?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Woojin shrugged, but the question was for Dongmin, who answered, “Early. Remember last time we came over? He made us get up at six in order to help him work.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin always tried to forget painful memories, and he supposed that one was no different. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can’t your daddy take care of you?” Bin asked. “I mean, Jinwoo’s…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s busy,” Dongmin pointed out, “what with all the cases he has now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, I’m a police chief! I’m clearly busier than he is!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They didn’t have anyone who </span>
  <em>
    <span>wasn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> busy and who </span>
  <em>
    <span>could</span>
  </em>
  <span> dedicate lots of time to children. Bin wanted to groan. Of course Myungjun and Jinwoo just </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> to adopt kids.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But when Woojin grinned up at him, he instantly took back his frustrations. Damn, they adopted such cute kids, too. He didn’t mind feeling overworked and stressed if it meant Woojin would keep treating him like he was a fun uncle.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo poked his head in through the doorway. He was already up, his hair combed and his clothes on. “Hey,” he greeted. “Minhyuk’s doing a bit of research. I’ll need you two so we can contact the weird group connected with this disappearance and figure out what’s going on.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right.” Bin cleared his throat and gestured at Woojin and Soojin. “What do we do with them?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wanna help!” Woojin exclaimed, bouncing up and down on the bed, hitting Bin’s leg each time. “I can help with police work! I wanna be a police officer when I grow up!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Soojin, now chewing on the blanket, watched her brother with wide eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo sighed and hurried forward, scooping Soojin up. She didn’t screech this time. Instead, she accepted the embrace and curled into her father’s arms. “I know Woojin has some reading to do for school,” he chided at his son, who flopped over onto Bin’s lap with a whine. Jinwoo ignored him and continued, “And Soojin can hang out with us. I wish Myungjun would’ve taken her to work like he normally does.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s still opened?” Dongmin asked, standing up from his bed and shuffling over to his suitcase. “Honestly, I would’ve expected him to close. He’s closed his shop down for less before.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo shrugged his shoulders. “He wanted to open it today. Maybe he needs distraction. He’s…” He smacked his lips together. “Something’s wrong. I dunno, I think this is all getting to him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin was the first one to respond to that, but he only did so with a light hum. He didn’t meet Jinwoo’s gaze. He looked away, instead, over at the suitcase he still had laid out on the floor. Bin glanced at his boyfriend briefly before responding to Jinwoo’s concerns.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean, he’s lost a close friend and he has all of us to worry about. Plus, he did seem a bit stressed earlier. I’ll bet he’s just trying to blow off some steam or release some pent up energy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo shrugged his shoulders, not totally convinced, but Bin decided to put Myungjun’s behavior out of his mind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He stood up from bed and sighed. “Well,” he murmured, “we’ll start on the investigation by ourselves. Hopefully it won’t be too difficult to track down these people.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before they could leave the room, though, Woojin pounced into Dongmin’s arms. Dongmin faltered under his weight, grunting with the effort of keeping him up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Carry me, Uncle Dongmin!” Woojin demanded. Bin struggled to hide his smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo came to Dongmin’s rescue. “Woojin!” he snapped, glaring at his son. “Get down from Dongmin and </span>
  <em>
    <span>walk!</span>
  </em>
  <span> You’re way too big to be doing that!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Woojin whined, but he listened to his father and slid out of Dongmin’s arms. Jinwoo shook his head and gave Woojin a gentle shove out of the room, then apologized, “Sorry, Dongmin. He’s riled up in the mornings, I think, and everyone being here makes--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s fine,” Dongmin assured him. “Really. I’m glad he likes me so much.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo smiled and nodded his head, then smoothed down Soojin’s hair. “You two get dressed,” he ordered, “and come meet me in the living room. Hopefully we can get a bit further in our investigation today, yeah?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t give them a chance to respond; then again, the question was likely rhetorical. Either way, he exited the room quickly, shutting the door lightly behind him in order to give both Bin and Dongmin a bit of privacy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin took a deep breath as he rifled through his suitcase. Bin grabbed at his own clothes and asked, “Are you alright?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine,” Dongmin replied, terse.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t seem fine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know what you want me to say. Sanha’s missing and this entire investigation rides on me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“On </span>
  <em>
    <span>us</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Bin corrected. “Christ, I don’t know how many times I’ll have to tell you that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin chose his clothes and instantly slammed his suitcase shut before glaring over at Bin. “On </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” he repeated. “Bin, I’m the one with the mind-reading powers! If I can’t figure this out, then--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think you’re forgetting you have two far more powerful users at our disposal,” Bin fussed. “Myungjun will work on Sanha if anything tragic happens, and Jinwoo can do everything </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> can do, and then some. Do you really think this entire investigation is dependent on just one power?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Dongmin didn’t respond, Bin knelt beside him. “We’ll need all the help we can get, darling. Minhyuk is determined and will stop at nothing, and Jinwoo is a smart detective with unfathomable powers, and Myungjun is a </span>
  <em>
    <span>just in case</span>
  </em>
  <span> tool we can utilize if necessary. You have help.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin nodded his head, listening to Bin’s words. “Right,” he agreed. “I...I know. I’m sorry. I’m just stressed out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin planted a kiss onto Dongmin’s cheek and offered him a small smile. “Don’t be. I’ll be right beside you, okay? Just lean on me if it gets too much.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fortunately, Dongmin smiled back, even if it was tight and a bit forced. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin kissed him once more before standing up to get changed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When they were both dressed, they made their way into the living room. Minhyuk sat on the couch, a laptop perched in front of him as he scrolled through his phone, frantically searching for something or other. Jinwoo had his own laptop, too, and a cup of coffee on the table. Soojin sat with him, flipping through a small picture book with intent focus.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She can read?” Bin asked, impressed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo pursed his lips. “No,” he replied. “I mean, I don’t think so. I think she just likes the pictures, though. But we’re working on her reading skills.” He gestured in front of him. “Take a seat. Bin, can you pull up the email that the chief sent you? I need you two to contact them and see what they know. Minhyuk is trying to do some research on the group, but I know you guys might find more substantial evidence.” He took a sip of his coffee and added, “Let me know if you guys need me to look into anything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you doing?” Dongmin asked, pulling out his own laptop and setting it up at the dining room table.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Paperwork. Figuring out what to say to the press. Trying to evade questions from nosy journalists. Stuff like that.” He bounced Soojin up and down a bit and frowned. “I might have to leave to go make a statement. I don’t even know what to say at this point. Clearly I can’t announce that only magic users are suffering, because no one will take it seriously.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin hummed in agreement, then took to locating the chief’s email. He wrote down the number and passed it to Dongmin, who decided to do the initial investigation on the group.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin had assumed no one would answer the call; it was an unknown number, after all, and surely they must realize they were under a bit of scrutiny. But after a few rings, Dongmin perked up, his eyes going wide with surprise, and he greeted, “Hi, yes, I’m...I’m just a bit curious as to what it is exactly you guys do.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was quiet for a second, then he cleared his throat. “Well, I’m actually a detective. We’re investigating a murder and a disappearance, and I have reason to suspect they might be linked to you. Would you be available for some questioning?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Speaker,” Bin hissed, tapping the table. “Put the phone on speaker.” He wanted the chance to jump in if need be, and he also wanted to hear the other side of the conversation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin rolled his eyes but did as Bin requested.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“--didn’t think we’d be questioned for it,” the voice on the other end was saying. “I swear, we didn’t kill them, nor have we ever killed anyone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Surely you can understand that’s difficult for us to believe,” Dongmin replied. “She was taking potions given to her from your group. She had some magic inside of her, but she was killed and dumped in Boryeong.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve never been to Boryeong,” the voice defended. She sounded incredulous. “None of us have. You can check whatever you need to, if necessary; our phone records, or car GPS, I don’t know. Whatever. All we do is sell magic in order to grant normal people some powers.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin gnawed at his lip briefly and took a few notes, then asked, “Are you aware that you could be breaking the law by--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re not,” the lady snapped. “I’ve read the entire law. I made sure to make sure I wasn’t breaking the law.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I suspect the potions are very powerful,” Dongmin continued. “Only a witch has the power to make such potions.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The voice was silent. Then, she asked, “How do you know that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Testing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It doesn’t pass any tests from normal people. The only way to discern magic within the potion is if you have a witch.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin, wide-eyed, glanced at Jinwoo, who sighed and slouched over in his chair.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I…” Dongmin cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, but this matter is not about me, nor is it about any of my contacts. And I’m...I’m not going to mention your powers. I swear.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not me,” the voice interrupted. “But go on.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“All I want to know is the location of the man who’s been kidnapped.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, but I don’t know,” the woman stated. “We’re a fairly new business. We’ve only sold a few potions. I can come in, if necessary, as long as you promise not to go after us for our powers. And I can give you the numbers of a few people who have used our service and are fine. We’ve never killed anyone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin hesitated for a few seconds before nodding his head. “Alright,” he murmured. “Would you mind answering any other phone calls from me? I might have some questions later on.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She agreed and they hung up. Dongmin took his phone back and shrugged his shoulders, not quite meeting Minhyuk’s gaze.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It isn’t them.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can tell from over the phone?” Jinwoo asked, impressed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s a skill I’ve been honing. It’s not as clear as when I meet with them face-to-face, but it can give me basic answers. This one was...it was a definite no. She has never seen Sanha before, and she has never hurt anyone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk’s face fell upon realizing just how close they might have been to finding Sanha. He said nothing, though, and only returned to scrolling on his phone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can still call her in for questioning,” Dongmin offered. “I’ll likely do it anyway if we can find a suspect by tomorrow. It’ll be good to do it, just in case I’m wrong.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do it anyway,” Bin suggested. “Call her back and ask if you can meet with her and several of the employees. For all we know, it could be someone who’s gone rogue and taken matters into their own hands for some reason.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin agreed, and he hurried off to make the call away from the others.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin was used to being a chief. He was used to telling others what to do. And so he turned to Jinwoo, ready to delegate some responsibilities to his friend. “But we need better evidence. We need to find other people who would have murdered someone and kidnapped someone else.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m still going with the protestors,” Jinwoo murmured. “Some people for magic user’s rights have been a bit unruly in the past. Perhaps they took it too far this time.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “Though that’s a lot of people I’d have to look into. I wish my powers were stronger. I feel like I could get somewhere with stronger powers.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wish they were, too,” Minhyuk muttered, the first words he had spoken.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo’s face portrayed the guilt he clearly felt. Bin, not wanting his friends to feel bad, tried to barrel onward with his delegations. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Minhyuk, keep researching, but I also think it’d be good for you to go with Dongmin on interrogations.” Minhyuk perked up at that, so Bin continued, “Let him take the lead and let him do all the talking; he knows what he’s doing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then why am I there?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because you’re good at reading expressions,” Bin pointed out. “You’re smart and capable and will be of assistance to Dongmin if he encounters someone whose mind he </span>
  <em>
    <span>can’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> read.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Like yours,” Jinwoo muttered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Exactly.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk nodded his head in agreement, happy with having something to do. Jinwoo opened his mouth, ready to ask a question, but then his laptop gave a small beep and he glanced at his screen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Almost instantly, his expression changed. He looked confused, eyebrows furrowed and his forehead wrinkled. He wrapped his arm around Soojin, keeping her in place as he leaned forward to read whatever was on his screen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is something wrong?” Bin asked, intrigued.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m…” Jinwoo clicked on a few things. “I don’t know. I think so. Probably. Yeah, something’s wrong. Just got an email from my chief.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk was listening, too, and Jinwoo rapidly typed a few things, likely in response to the chief of police. Once he finished, he explained, “So it looks like the graveyard is missing bodies.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Bodies?” Bin repeated. “You’re...what?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The bodies of magic users, to be precise.” Jinwoo clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth, still staring at his laptop screen. “The graves have been robbed. Someone’s taken the bodies.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin stared at him in silence. Minhyuk gaped. An uneasy feeling settled within Bin’s gut as he contemplated the meaning of the missing bodies.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And, suddenly, he knew.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They had a necromancer.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hit me up on my twitter page <a href="https://twitter.com/thevonseal">@vonseal</a> for spoilers and general nonsense.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>boring chapter, get through it so we can go on to the good stuff</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Jinwoo’s honestly really calm in front of the press,” Bin commented, his eyebrows raised as he watched Jinwoo’s impressive performance on television. He had to give a small speech, an update on the cases they were currently invested in, and Jinwoo really knew how to work around it. Dongmin noticed how he skipped over information involving magical powers and instead kept his focus on how the acts were connected and how it could be caused by revenge or unrest or any number of things. The press seemed to eat up his words, and his kind, determined demeanor. They asked him questions that he answered with ease.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin nodded his head in agreement to Bin’s words. Soojin, sitting on his lap, gazed at the television in awe before reaching her hands out, signing the word for </span>
  <em>
    <span>dad</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s right,” Dongmin told her, smiling at her sweet face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She didn’t hear, nor would she understand, but he nodded at her now, anyway, hopeful she could pick up on his confirmation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He worried about her, and he worried about Myungjun. Clearly Myungjun was distraught, both over Sanha’s disappearance and the medical examinations of his daughter. Things weren’t working out well for him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But why on earth was he absent? Why did he have to work at the shop?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin sighed and patted down some of Soojin’s unruly hair.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The press conference ended. The anchor women on the news began talking a bit more about the case, offering their own insights, before switching to information regarding a car crash earlier in the day.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin turned the volume down and asked, “Why aren’t we focusing more on the information we’ve gathered concerning those missing bodies?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk’s expression turned sour. “You mean the fact that they clearly have a necromancer working for them?” He was still scowling as he glanced down at his phone. “I asked Myungjun if he knows of any other necromancers that live in this area. He said he didn’t.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is he coming home soon?” Dongmin questioned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I dunno. He says he has more stuff to do. He’s stopping by the doctor later, too, for some tests regarding Soojin’s hearing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin frowned. Her hearing? Yeah, right. More likely than not, the tests were about her possible autism. Myungjun was piling onto the lies, and Dongmin honestly hadn’t expected him to lie to </span>
  <em>
    <span>Minhyuk</span>
  </em>
  <span>, as well as Jinwoo. He told Minhyuk everything. It was unlike him to keep hiding secrets.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then again, Myungjun was fiercely protective of his children, and he hated the idea that they could be </span>
  <em>
    <span>different</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He already had to deal with Soojin’s deafness; likely, he wanted to try his best to not deal with autism, if he could help it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Deciding to switch the subject, Dongmin asked, “Minhyuk, are you still good with coming to my interrogation later today? The lady I spoke with couldn’t get to the station until this evening.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk set his phone aside and nodded his head. “Yeah, that’s fine. I mean, I’m not doing anything, anyway. I feel so fucking useless.” He ran a hand down his face and muttered, “And I have to do </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Sanha’s...Sanha’s waiting for me, and I feel like I-I’m letting him down.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin was quick to jump in, quick to offer comfort. “You aren’t letting him down! We’re doing all we can, Minhyuk. They kidnapped him for a reason and so they’ll keep him alive.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And if not?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then...I mean, we have Myungjun, at least.” Bin gnawed worriedly at his lip as Minhyuk’s face fell. “But I highly doubt we’ll even need him. Sanha’s super smart. He won’t get himself into too much trouble. Promise.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And though Bin’s words might have been empty promises, Minhyuk still nodded his head, as if trying to convince himself of that fact.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A door opened down the hallway and Woojin ran out of his room, a school book in his hand. “Uncle Bin!” he yelled, causing Minhyuk to jump. “I finished my reading!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin took a deep breath and gave Dongmin an exasperated grin, which Dongmin did his best to return. Woojin scurried over to Bin and tossed his book onto the couch beside him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can tell you anything you wanna know about it!” he assured. “Go on, quiz me!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t have time to quiz you. Sorry,” Bin said, reaching over to poke his belly. “But I believe you, anyway. You did good. You were very quiet and completed all of your schoolwork, and that deserves some chocolate milk.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Woojin gasped and covered his mouth with his hands. “But Dad says we can’t have chocolate milk until after we eat all of our dinner,” he whispered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin stood and put a finger up to his lips conspiringly. “We won’t tell him. Can you keep it a secret?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Woojin giggled and nodded his head excitedly. Bin patted his shoulder, then took his hand and led him into the kitchen to deliver the promised contraband.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Left alone, Minhyuk spoke again. “Can we get to the station early?” he asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why?” Soojin was scrambling off Dongmin’s lap, rushing to see what had her brother so excited. Dongmin let her go, worried she might scream if he tried to hold her back. Besides, Bin had always been better with the kids than he was. He might as well let Bin worry about them, then.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just...I feel like I’ll be better if I’m not cooped up here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t even know if Jinwoo’s given you clearance yet to go into the station. Maybe we should wait for him to make that decision.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk rolled his eyes. “Or you could just call him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Or I </span>
  <em>
    <span>could</span>
  </em>
  <span> do that,” Dongmin agreed. He had to remind himself not to get too frustrated with Minhyuk’s attitude; he was suffering more than any of them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He called Jinwoo, who agreed to let them come in early. Minhyuk shot up with excitement after receiving the confirmation. He grabbed his jacket and rushed out the door, despite Dongmin asking him to slow down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a sigh, Dongmin grabbed his own jacket. He packed up his laptop, then called out, “Binnie, Minhyuk and I are headed down to the station!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin poked his head out from the kitchen. “Seriously? Without me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>WIth a helpless shrug, Dongmin responded, “Sorry. Minhyuk’s antsy, and I figured I can get more work done there than I can here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A child was tugging at Bin’s pants. Dongmin could see the fabric tighten and Bin sway. He was sheepish as Bin asked, “And me being a police chief doesn’t mean anything, then?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin shrugged once more. “I mean, Myungjun, um, he might be home soon.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not likely. He darted once he had the chance. Is this because I put on weight? I’ve become a housewife since I’m chubby?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In the background, Dongmin could hear Woojin sing, “Uncle Bin is chubby! Uncle Bin is chubby!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You aren’t chubby,” Dongmin assured him. “But, now, even if you </span>
  <em>
    <span>were</span>
  </em>
  <span> chubby, I’m not leaving you to become a housewife. I just…” He trailed off and gestured at the front door. “It’s Minhyuk.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin pursed his lips and nodded his head. “Yeah. Alright, fine, you can go. I’ll just angrily text Myungjun until he comes home to relieve me of my housewife duties.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once more, Woojin just had to chime in with, “Uncle Bin, what’s a housewife?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll leave you to it, then,” Dongmin mumbled, and he rushed out the door before Bin could make him feel any more guilty than he already did. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun must have been stressed, but Dongmin did wish he would set his priorities straight and stop relying so much on several busy policemen to do his babysitting for him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He sent a quick text to his friend reminding him of the children he had left behind before climbing into his car, where Minhyuk was already waiting.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hopefully the suspects will come early,” Minhyuk said as they drove down the street. “Then we can start the interrogation early, too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But they didn’t come early, and Dongmin was forced to witness Minhyuk become antsy at the police station. He constantly asked to be given bigger responsibilities, and when Dongmin finally rejected his requests, he meandered around, popping into Jinwoo’s office once or twice to ask him for more field work.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Right before the suspects came, Jinwoo packed up and told Dongmin, “I can’t deal with him right now. I think even dealing with two rowdy kids might be a little easier to handle.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin frowned and looked over at Minhyuk, who was standing by the water cooler and constantly refilling and gulping down a cup of water. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s just...he’s very upset.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know.” Jinwoo looked just as stressed as they all felt. His hair, initially combed and slicked for his press conference, was now a tangled mess. His tie was crooked, too, and his shirt had come slightly untucked. He held a box of paperwork, which he kept shifting around in his arms.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that for the case?” Dongmin asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo nodded. “This case, the murder case, and now my graveyard case. Lots of cases to go through. I won’t ever sleep again, I fear. I can only hope that the people you’re interrogating have </span>
  <em>
    <span>some</span>
  </em>
  <span> sort of clue as to what happened to Sanha. Then, maybe, we can get this ball rolling.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin agreed, but he had to add, “You don’t know of any other necromancers in this area, then?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nope.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, Minhyuk said that Myungjun didn’t know of any, either.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo stared at his box for a few seconds, and all that left his mouth was, “Huh.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin blinked. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Huh?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” he repeated.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean...I feel like I heard him talk about one, but it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>years</span>
  </em>
  <span> ago, and we were still in Boryeong. I’ll have to ask and see if he remembers it. He’s gotten good at blocking out bad memories.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Was...was it a bad memory, then, his encounter with this other necromancer?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, I doubt it was good.” Jinwoo gave Dongmin a strained smile. “I’ll go and see if I can’t get a hold of him. I think he’s still out. I mean, Bin’s been texting me begging for me to come home, so I doubt Myungjun’s back yet.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that weird for him to stay out so late?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe.” Jinwoo shrugged his shoulders and began to walk away. “See you later tonight, Dongmin. Don’t stay out too late.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once he left, Dongmin turned back to his laptop and sighed. He thought it was weird that Myungjun had yet to return home. When he tried texting, all he received were rambles about his flowers and how many of them were dying from a lack of attention. He called at one point, too, and Myungjun answered with, “I thought you were doing some interrogations.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not yet,” Dongmin said. “Or, I mean, they haven’t come in yet.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh.” There was movement and Myungjun sighed. “I know, you want me to go home. I’ll be there in a bit. I just...I mean, what the hell am I supposed to even do, Dongmin? My daughter’s likely autistic and my son needs help with schoolwork and I have three extra mouths to feed and, oh, Sanha’s still fucking missing and…” He took a deep breath. “Sorry. I know, you know all this, I just...I hate it. I don’t know what to do to help. I’m not like you guys. I’m not a detective, and my powers are only helpful after the fact.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin could understand Myungjun’s frustrations. He felt it, too, the feeling of being worthless, the feeling of having powers too weak to offer much true assistance. He gripped his phone and responded, “But you </span>
  <em>
    <span>could</span>
  </em>
  <span> get home so Woojin stops forcing Bin to play cops and robbers with him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let me guess -- he’s making Bin the robber.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And he’s trying to hit him with a stick.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And Soojin is copying whatever Woojin does.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“On the nose.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Christ, Woojin and his stupid sticks. He’s gonna poke someone’s eye out someday.” Myungjun sighed. “Alright, I’ll...I’ll go home. Let Bin know I’ll get there in ten minutes, alright?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks, Myungjun,” Dongmin said, smiling as he hung up the phone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Somehow, despite his own stress levels at the highest level ever, he felt better trying to comfort his friend. No wonder Bin was always so quick to offer his own comfort. It was a nice feeling, and his heart seemed less constricted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Just in time, too, for a policeman came to his desk and said, “Detective Lee, right? You have someone to see you for questioning.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Though Minhyuk was across the room, he made a bee-line for Dongmin’s desk, where he quickly plastered himself to Dongmin’s side and asked, “They’re here?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin pushed his friend away a few steps. “Put them in Interrogation Room B,” Dongmin requested. “We’ll be with them shortly.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He pulled up a few documents on his laptop, taking his time to make sure things were correct, even as Minhyuk begged him and urged him to hurry. He had to take his time or else it was possible he might miss a few pictures of the potion he had stored away on his computer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finally, he followed Minhyuk to the interrogation room and began the arduous task of unpacking his laptop bag, only greeting the woman with a simple, “Hello, Soohyang. Thanks for coming in.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She raised her eyebrows and watched him, then gestured at Minhyuk. “Who’s this?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk flashed his visitor's badge, as if that explained anything. In return, she flashed her own and commented, “That just tells me you’re not a police officer or a detective.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s here to help,” Dongmin commented. He sat down after plugging in his laptop. “Alright. Where were you three days ago, the morning of the 14th?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“At my house,” Soohyang responded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin typed down her answer, and then his own assessment. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Correct</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And have you ever seen this man?” He passed over a large picture of Sanha. She gazed upon it, and there was no recognition in her gaze.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No.” She shook her head and passed it back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Correct</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Dongmin typed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re a mind-reader,” she suddenly pointed out, jolting Dongmin from his task.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk blinked, his eyes wide, and retaliated quickly in Dongmin’s honor. “And you’re a witch.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How do you know that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Only witches can tell when a mind-reader is reading their mind,” Minhyuk continued.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Soohyang scoffed. “And how do you know </span>
  <em>
    <span>that?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” she questioned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin knew better than to come right out and say, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Because of Jinwoo</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He wouldn’t give up his friend so easily. Instead, he interrupted, “That isn’t an issue. I’m just trying to get down to the bottom of this kidnapping.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can read my mind to prove my innocence.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you’re a witch, you might be able to manipulate thoughts,” Dongmin pointed out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Soohyang shook her head. “Bring in another witch to test me, to see how much magic I’m protruding. I’m not manipulating thoughts, either my own nor anyone else’s.” She sat back in her chair and met Dongmin’s gaze steadily. “Look, I know it might be difficult for you to believe, but I’m not out to hurt anyone. I want magic users to become more accepted in society, and I thought that if I could offer others their own magic powers, then people would start seeing that magic isn’t a bad thing at all. Of course it can be dangerous when used unwisely, but can’t anything? I’m sure you carry a gun sometimes, Detective, and is that not just as dangerous, if not more so, than your magic powers?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin frowned. “You don’t have to convince me magic can be used for good,” he argued. “I already know.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right. You do.” She nodded her head, accepting what Dongmin had to say. “And I agree. I’m...I’m not a killer. I don’t know what I have to do to convince you of that fact. I’ve not seen your missing friend, and if I have seen him, I swear I would let you know.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Realizing he was getting nowhere, Dongmin closed his laptop and sighed. Minhyuk, recognizing his defeat, looked away, glum and stern in expression. Dongmin wasn’t getting anywhere, and he knew he was letting everyone down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Soohyang looked over at Minhyuk and offered a sympathetic smile. “Are you close to the missing person?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t read my mind,” Minhyuk snapped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t have to read your mind to notice how much you care for him.” She pursed her lips and added, “Can I help?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How?” Dongmin asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know many people in the magic community. I have several that help me with potions. They might know of anyone suspicious going around kidnapping and possibly murdering other magic users, or clients of mine. I could ask them and tell them to keep an eye out in case they sense anyone or anything particularly shady.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was right. Witches were able to detect other magic users a bit easier. Jinwoo had always been able to pinpoint the differences between humans and magic users. She would be able to, as well.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin nodded his head eagerly. “You still have my card, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She tugged it free from her pocket and held it up, as if proving she had yet to toss it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Call me if you sense anything, please,” Dongmin told her. “It’s very important that we find our friend sooner rather than later.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I understand.” She pushed away from the table and stared at Dongmin expectantly. “Am I free to go?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin nodded his head, and Soohyang left. For a moment, it was silent. Dongmin thought over all he had heard and Minhyuk stewed away in his grief and frustration.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk finally broke the silence. “I wish it was her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because then we could apprehend her and figure out what the hell is being done with Sanha.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I…” Minhyuk swallowed thickly. “I don’t know what to do anymore, Dongmin.” He was close to tears, and Dongmin looked away in order to give him some space. He had never been good with comforting people who cried. That was always Bin’s job.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Minhyuk </span>
  <em>
    <span>didn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> cry. He merely took a deep breath and wiped at his face and threatened, “I’m going to kill whoever it is who’s got Sanha.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t condone that as a detective,” Dongmin replied. “But as Sanha’s friend, I might be right there with you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hit me up on my twitter page <a href="https://twitter.com/thevonseal">@vonseal</a> for spoilers and general nonsense.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>:O</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Shit,” Bin cursed, and he instantly slapped a hand over his mouth. Jinwoo glared at him from across the table, his tired eyes narrowed behind wire-framed glasses.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry,” he apologized quietly, glancing over to ensure Woojin had not heard him. Fortunately, the boy was still playing with some toy cars he had found in his bedroom, making them zoom across the living room floor with loud, sputtering noises. Soojin watched him and occasionally would grab at a car to play with it herself, but she didn’t join in with his weird game.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo gave a small huff and looked back down at his papers. He rubbed at his face and muttered, “One more bad word in the presence of my children and I’m going to kick you out and make you sleep on the porch.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin offered a sheepish smile and apologized once again. “Sorry. Just...this case.” He gestured at the paperwork in front of him. “I’ve had the mayor on my ass, too-- ignore that one,” he hurriedly added, panicking at the look in Jinwoo’s eyes. “Ass isn’t that bad of a word, anyway.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was then that Woojin decided to start eavesdropping. He gasped and exclaimed, “Daddy, he said </span>
  <em>
    <span>ass!</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t repeat it!” Jinwoo scolded. “Uncle Bin is using dirty language and you need to ignore him, alright?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is he gonna get punished?” Woojin asked, eyes wide with curiosity. “Is Dad going to spank him?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, Jinwoo, is your husband going to spank me?” Bin teased.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo took a deep breath and seemed to count to five in his head before he turned his attention to Woojin. “I’m going to have a stern talk with Bin,” he assured his son. “While I do that, I want you and your sister to go wash your faces and brush your teeth, alright? I’ll come read you a story once you’re in bed.” He signed a few things to Soojin, who instantly scurried to stand beside Woojin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Woojin didn’t seem quite ready to listen. “But I want </span>
  <em>
    <span>Dad</span>
  </em>
  <span> to read us a story!” he complained. “He does it the best, ‘cause he does the voices and everything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo looked a bit frustrated. “I’m...I can do it! I’ll do it just as good as him, okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where’s Dad?” Woojin asked, still not sold on the idea of Jinwoo reading to him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s busy,” Jinwoo replied, but conflict brewed in his gaze and he gnawed a bit at his bottom lip.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin, feeling bad for his friend, was quick to chime in. “Woojin, I’ll come and read to you and Soojin, alright? Just do as your Daddy says.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Woojin’s frown remained, even as he nodded his head sullenly and dragged his sister off to the bathroom. Once the children were gone, Jinwoo sighed, took off his glasses, and buried his face into his hands.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is...is everything alright?” Bin asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo shrugged his shoulders without picking his face back up. “I don’t know where Jun is. He isn’t telling me much. He just keeps saying he can’t be home right now. And he’s...he’s been acting so weird recently. He’s gotten overly-protective of the kids, and he won’t talk to me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin didn’t know what to say and how to help. He had also noticed Myungjun acting a bit strange. He tapped his fingers across the table in thought and muttered, “Is he at his shop?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He was. He says he isn’t now. He says he took a walk.” Jinwoo lifted his head. “Why is my husband taking a walk this late at night? Where even is his walk?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can you not track his phone?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No. He took that off a while ago.” Jinwoo played with his own phone laying on the table. “He’s been texting me, at least. He says he’ll come home soon. I don’t really know how he’s interpreting the word </span>
  <em>
    <span>soon</span>
  </em>
  <span>, though. He’s been gone all day long.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was definitely strange behavior. Bin’s mind tugged along in an effort to think of the explanations.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey,” he started, shifting nervously in his chair. “About...about the missing bodies from the graveyard--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It wasn’t Myungjun,” Jinwoo snapped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wasn’t--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You </span>
  <em>
    <span>were</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Look, I know he’s a necromancer, but there’s other necromancers. I mean, Myungjun mentioned having met one years and years ago, when he first moved out on his own. Necromancers exist, and there must be one here digging up bodies.” Jinwoo leaned forward to grab his water bottle, sitting behind a pile of paper. “Either that,” he added, “or a witch is using the bodies for potions.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin raised his eyebrows. “Which one do you think is more plausible?” he questioned. “A witch who needs skeletons for some damn potion and just happens to dig up the bodies of only magic users, or a necromancer trying to start something?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo took a sip of water and didn’t answer Bin’s inquiry.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin continued forth anyway, knowing he would have to drill suspicion into Jinwoo’s skull somehow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know a necromancer is behind this. And you know they also have a witch on board.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We don’t know any of this,” Jinwoo said. “We simply think it at the moment.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a snort, Bin shook his head. “We </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span> it. I mean, it could be coincidences, but it’d have to be pretty fucking coincidential. Only a witch could capture and keep Sanha. Only a necromancer would purposely dig up the graves of magic users. They have to be working together since it’s only happening here.” He stood up from his seat. “And I’m not saying Myungjun’s the necromancer. He wouldn’t do that. There’s gotta be someone else.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At least that had Jinwoo agreeing with him, nodding his head frantically in order to dispel all suspicions about his husband. Bin left him like that, left him still nodding, and went to go read a story to the children.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His mind was so jumbled. He messed up on simple words and had Woojin do most of the hand signs for him. Woojin even commented on his scattered brain, after Bin closed the book and put it away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uncle Bin,” he yawned, snuggling in beside his sister. “You don’t read real good.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin could have laughed, but he simply smiled and shrugged his shoulders. “I tried for you, kid.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you think Dad’s gonna come home soon?” Woojin asked. “What if he’s left ‘cause he doesn’t love me anymore?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Bin’s eyes widened as he looked over at Woojin, who seemed oddly content for someone who just delivered such a depressing thought. “What makes you think that, Woojin? Your dad loves you very, very much.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Woojin shrugged his shoulders, then seemed to change his mind. “I know. I just miss him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin knew Myungjun never liked to leave home for long. His children were his life. He kept them with him at all times, if possible, and for him to go on a late walk instead of taking care of Woojin and Soojin was a bit uncharacteristic.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Bin didn’t want Woojin to worry, so he leaned down and kissed his forehead. “He’ll be back,” he promised, and then he delivered a similar kiss to Soojin, who seemed to already be falling asleep.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He turned the nightlight on and switched off the lamp, then tiredly stumbled back into the dining room, where Jinwoo was shuffling through a few folders.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How’d it go?” Jinwoo asked, not yet looking up at him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Woojin thinks I suck.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He thinks I suck, too, if it’s any consolation. He only likes Myungjun’s storytelling.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin hummed and sat down in his chair, glaring at his own paperwork. He had half a mind to toss it all and pretend he wasn’t aware what was going on back in his own precinct, but he would get chewed out if that ever happened.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So he buckled down and began working.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He worked until the front door opened and Dongmin strode in, followed closely by both Minhyuk and Myungjun.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin raised his eyebrows and Jinwoo gaped at his husband, who didn’t quite meet his gaze.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry,” Myungjun instantly muttered. He had dirt on his clothes and a bit of soil smeared down his cheek. He had been working on his plants.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Woojin was asking for you,” Jinwoo grumbled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you left </span>
  <em>
    <span>your</span>
  </em>
  <span> kids with Bin all day long, who has a lot of work to do.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun bristled. “That’s not fair. I have work, too. Just because I’m not a policeman doesn’t mean I don’t have work of my own.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sensing a fight, Dongmin moved away from the scene. He interjected to change conversation topics.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The potion makers aren’t our people,” he stated.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo grit his teeth down. “Great,” he snapped. “More bad news.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have the leader, a witch, looking out for anything suspicious.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin sighed, noticing the forlorn expression on Minhyuk’s face. “We should call it a night,” he suggested. “Myungjun, Woojin was asking for you, like Jinwoo said. He’s concerned you don’t love him anymore.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If not for the intense and stressful atmosphere, Myungjun’s bewildered expression would have been hilarious. As it was, though, Bin couldn’t laugh. He felt frustrated and annoyed and entirely suspicious of Myungjun’s strange behavior.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He said that?” Myungjun question, voice a little higher pitched than usual.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo could only glare as Bin muttered, “He dropped it real quick, but I think he’s--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He couldn’t say anything else before Myungjun rushed off to the children’s bedroom. Bin watched him go and relaxed a bit. At least Myungjun still loved and cherished his children, even if everything else was a bit bizarre.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once Myungjun was gone, Dongmin and Minhyuk both sat down. Minhyuk instantly buried his head into his arms, splayed out on the table, and Bin could only stare at him sadly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin’s eyes were narrowed and his forehead was wrinkled. He was thinking, concentrating, focusing. Bin watched him out of the corner of his eye.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, Jinwoo,” Dongmin started.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hm?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you remember how I used to try and read your thoughts back when we were partners? And you managed to figure out how to shut me out of your mind?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo nodded his head. He didn’t seem to understand where the question was leading. Bin didn’t, either. Even Minhyuk glanced up in confusion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin wet his lips and continued, “Do you make potions that allows the drinker to have their mind wiped so a mind-reader is unable to access any of their information?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Um...no.” Jinwoo cocked his head. “Is that what happened to the woman you talked to? Was her mind blank?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, no, I read her mind just fine. She’s not our person. She’s okay.” He cleared his throat, looking entirely uncomfortable with his train of thought. “It’s just...I remember when you would block me out. And...and it feels the same when I try to read Binnie’s mind. It’s like he blocks me out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where’s this going, Dongmin?” Jinwoo asked. “I’m too tired to guess.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Myungjun’s mind is blank.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin blinked and glanced down the hallway to the children’s room. The door was still closed; Myungjun was likely talking to Woojin or else retelling Bin’s terrible story. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo balked at the information. “His mind’s blank?” he repeated.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. It feels like trying to read Bin’s mind. Just...it’s blank.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew</span>
  </em>
  <span> Dongmin had always been able to read Myungjun’s mind. He didn’t do it often, choosing to give his friends some berth of freedom from his intrusive poking and prodding, but if he had done so recently and come up blank, then something was terribly wrong.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looked over at Jinwoo, who was shaking his head in disbelief. “Myungjun’s mind couldn’t be blank,” he murmured. “There’s...there’s no reason for it to be.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We could ask him,” Bin suggested. “I mean, he’s just in the other room, and I highly doubt Myungjun has anything to hide.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin opened his mouth to say something, but Jinwoo was quick to jump in. “Why the hell were you trying to read Myungjun’s mind, anyway?” he snapped at Dongmin, who looked a bit shocked with the sudden attack. “He’s not the one we ought to be scrutinizing here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I...I dunno. I just...we ran into him on our way in, and out of curiosity...I mean, I wanted to see what he’s been doing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s been at the shop!” Jinwoo exclaimed. “And then he took a walk! Why the hell would you ever doubt him?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The door to the kid’s bedroom opened and closed. Myungjun came back down the hall, seemingly oblivious to the fight happening just in front of him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry I stayed out so late, Jinnie,” he apologies, having the decency to look guilty. “I was just...I’m overwhelmed, is all. This case, and…” He trailed off and shrugged his shoulders, gaze conflicted as he turned to Dongmin and Minhyuk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No one said anything. Bin wondered if he ought to chime in, to see if Myungjun was taking some sort of potion to hide his thoughts or else had figured out a way to do it himself -- necromancy was a powerful magic, after all, and perhaps Myungjun had more tricks up his sleeve than he let on.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was Minhyuk who broke the silence in the end, though.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Myungjun, Dongmin read your mind and says you’re blank.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin grit his teeth and hissed, “What the hell, Minhyuk?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk shrugged, unashamed of what he had said. “Stop tip-toeing around him like idiots. You invaded his privacy and I think he has a right to know what you found.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun’s eyes were wide at this news. He put a hand up to his head, as if feeling around might give him some answers, and he stammered out, “I...I’m blank? Like Bin? I have no thoughts?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin nodded his head stiffly. “Yeah. I just...understand, Myungjun, that under normal circumstances I would </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span> try to read your mind. But I’m stressed -- we’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>all</span>
  </em>
  <span> stressed--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not all of us stressed individuals are using magic against our friends,” Jinwoo snapped, pushing aside his work to embrace his husband. “You leave Myungjun alone, Dongmin.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin gasped. “Seriously? Why are you attacking me? I’ve been doing nothing but helping, and Myungjun--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Leave him out of this! He’s not part of the force! He has no credentials--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin found it best to step in, and quickly. “Just...relax,” he urged, standing up between Jinwoo and Dongmin. “We’re all stressed, as Dongmin said, and we don’t need to be turning on each other.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin grabbed onto his arm, frantic, and asked, “But you believe me, right? That Myungjun’s blank and--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He patted Dongmin’s hand and smiled. “Yeah, but I’m sure he has his reasons. And we can’t just attack each other.” He glanced pointedly at Jinwoo, who met his gaze with no hesitation. “Jinwoo, Dongmin’s just concerned. I don’t think he did anything wrong.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course you don’t,” Jinwoo muttered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun pushed himself gently out of Jinwoo’s embrace, still seeming quite surprised. “I didn’t know my mind was blank. I mean, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> thoughts! Jinwoo, why would my mind be blank? Is it still blank, Dongmin?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin blinked. “Is...is that permission to read your mind?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“At least you asked for permission this time,” Jinwoo mumbled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin rolled his eyes but chose not to intervene again. He instead moved to stand alongside Minhyuk, who was watching the proceedings with an air of distrust. Minhyuk was a fantastic friend, but his strongest relationship was definitely with Myungjun. He was likely ready to hop in at a moment’s notice if Myungjun needed anymore defense.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Read my mind,” Myungjun confirmed, pointing at his head. “Go on.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And so Dongmin did, concentrating hard on Myungjun’s inner thoughts. When the magical connection between the two was broken, Dongmin shook his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It’s like peering into Bin’s brain.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun looked terrified. He grasped onto Jinwoo and asked, “What causes this? Is something the matter with me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing’s the matter,” Jinwoo comforted him, planting a small kiss on his cheek. “Maybe Dongmin’s tired himself out and his abilities don’t work as well. Or maybe he can’t use it on necromancers, or something--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve done it before on Myungjun,” Dongmin reminded them. “And I’ve been stressed before and it still works. It’s something wrong with Myungjun.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing is wrong with Myungjun!” Jinwoo snapped. He seemed to catch himself before saying anything else rude, however, and took a deep breath. “I’m going to bed. Jun’s coming with me. I’ll figure it out myself. Stop prodding your nose into his business and focus on the case, Dongmin, or else I’ll kick you both off the team and make you return to Boryeong and conduct the investigation from there.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin knew Jinwoo wouldn’t do that; far too much was at stake. Sanha’s life lay in their hands, and to deprive his force of strong detectives now would be the final blow in Sanha’s kidnapping. However, the threat still remained, and none of them wanted to upset Jinwoo further. He was a friend, first and foremost, and there was no reason to drive a wedge between any of them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But as Jinwoo gathered up his things, as Dongmin moved to help him and Minhyuk buried his face into his hands in frustration, Bin noticed Myungjun’s expression change.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looked...relieved.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And nervous.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And guilty.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He caught Bin’s eyes and was quick to call out, “Jinnie, I’m headed to the bedroom. I’ll look through your book to see if I can find out anything else, okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before Jinwoo could give a response, Myungjun hurried down the hallway and disappeared into the master bedroom.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo didn’t seem to notice anything wrong. In fact, he sighed and muttered, “At least he’s still as energetic as always,” before bidding the other three good night and following his husband.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin waited until the door closed, then he quickly turned to Dongmin and said, “Something’s up with him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin pursed his lips. “Well,” he muttered, but trailed off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And it was Minhyuk, Myungjun’s ever-loyal best friend, someone who had endured beatings to stick by Myungjun’s side, who said, “Bin’s right.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin chewed at his bottom lip and sighed. “I...I told Myungjun I’d keep it a secret, but…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tell us,” Bin urged him. “It could be important.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s…” Dongmin glanced down the hallway, as if ensuring Myungjun and Jinwoo weren’t coming out again, then whispered, “I think Soojin’s autistic.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Soojin?” Bin repeated. “Seriously?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk’s eyes widened but he said nothing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, maybe. I don’t know. Myungjun had taken her to the doctor and...I dunno. She might be autistic. He’s been reading books about it and he might be trying to--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, but,” Minhyuk started, “that doesn’t explain his blank mind. And it doesn’t explain why he wouldn’t tell Jinwoo. He tells Jinwoo </span>
  <em>
    <span>everything</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I’ve known him since we were kids; trust me, he wouldn’t keep this a secret.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin sighed. “So...there’s an underlying issue, then. Something happened that’s caused him to keep a huge secret from his husband and wipe his mind blank?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The more he thought about it, the more he realized he didn’t like the implications of his question.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun was involved in </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and he wanted to know what it was.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hit me up on my twitter page <a href="https://twitter.com/thevonseal">@vonseal</a> for spoilers and general nonsense.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>see, we're finally starting to get semi-good, though this will never live up to elementary</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Dongmin felt guilty as he told Bin and Minhyuk everything. He talked about the books he had found, which were currently stuffed under the couch, and the doctor Myungjun had seen and how Jinwoo knew absolutely nothing. Bin and Minhyuk hung on to his every word, and as Dongmin spoke, he felt worse and worse.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I shouldn’t have said anything,” he finally muttered, sitting on the couch and burying his head into his hands. “I promised Myungjun I’d keep quiet, and now I’ve gone and blabbed it all--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Honestly, Myungjun ought to have said something,” Bin pointed out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Dongmin didn’t believe that, not for a second. Myungjun probably should have told Jinwoo, sure, but it was a personal family matter. It was not for Dongmin and Bin and Minhyuk to sit around and theorize about.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Besides, it wasn’t even about them, necessarily. This was about Soojin and her possible diagnosis. It was about a little girl who would never be </span>
  <em>
    <span>normal</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Myungjun’s obsessed with normalcy,” Dongmin pointed out. “Remember how devastated he was when the doctor told him Soojin was deaf?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk nodded his head glumly. “He got five different opinions and even then tried to get Jinwoo to make her hear again,” he remembered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It had been an extremely difficult time for the Kim-Park family. Dongmin had to endure call after call from his friends; Myungjun’s calls were frantic and panicked and full of tears, whereas Jinwoo’s calls were frustrated words and deep, inner conflict. In the end, Myungjun had accepted Soojin how she was and had adapted their lifestyle to fit her needs. Besides, as Dongmin and Bin had assured him, many people were deaf and lived normal lives.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But autism was different. Dongmin didn’t know much about it, but he was well aware that, depending on the severity of the autism, it would be much more difficult for Soojin to live out a normal life as Myungjun so desperately wanted her to.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin narrowed his eyes as he thought. “So,” he murmured, “Myungjun randomly took her to the doctor, learned she might have autism, and is now…” He trailed off and gestured with his hands as he struggled to find the words. Nothing seemed to come, so he added, “It just doesn’t make sense. I mean, I would assume that he would talk to Jinwoo about this. He talked to all of us when one doctor even brought up the possibility of Soojin being deaf. But now he’s silent? Now he’s hiding it? And what the hell is he even doing out so late?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin wasn’t sure what to say. He didn’t like this investigation of Myungjun. He wanted to focus his efforts on finding Sanha and bringing justice to his murdered victim; instead, he was forced to wonder what Myungjun was up to.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We...we should do this later,” he mentioned, clearing his throat. “Right now, I think Sanha should be our top priority.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk was quick to join in with a nod. “Yeah,” he agreed. “We find Sanha, then we figure out what’s wrong with Myungjun.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin glanced between the two of them and sighed. “You’re right,” he concurred. “I’m sorry. I just…” He shifted in his seat. “Something’s definitely up with Myungjun. He gave me this look.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A look?” Dongmin repeated.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean, it wasn’t necessarily directed towards me, but I saw it. He tried to cover it up. He seemed...guilty. Stressed. I dunno.” He looked between Minhyuk and Dongmin. “I think Myungjun might...be playing a part in all of this.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin’s eyes widened. He didn’t quite know where Bin was going. “In all of this?” he repeated. “All...all of what? Are you talking about Sanha’s disappearance? The murder? Myungjun was involved in all of it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean...it’s all coincidental right now, but think about it. Myungjun received a call from Sanha shortly before Sanha went missing. He never disclosed it until asked about it. He’s hiding information from his husband, which he </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span> does. He’s going out super late and not returning, even after various attempts to convince him to come back. His mind is blank and he’s adamant he has done nothing to make it blank. And, to top it all off, those bodies have disappeared from the graveyard which means whoever stole them must have a necromancer on their side.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The evidence was stacking up against Myungjun. Still, Dongmin refused to believe that their close friend, a family man through and through, would ever be involved in such heinous crimes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Myungjun wouldn’t,” Minhyuk muttered, saying what Dongmin was thinking. “He’s...he’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>good</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He’s always helped people. He wouldn’t kidnap one of his best friends and...he wouldn’t work with the people who did. Trust me; I know Myungjun better than any of you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin didn’t doubt that in the slightest, but the situation was leaving him with an uneasy feeling. His suspicion of Myungjun was growing stronger by the minute and he sighed before running his fingers through his hair.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay,” he said, trying to gather his thoughts. “Okay, I think...I think, for now, we need to ignore Myungjun. I agree with Minhyuk; he’s not helping criminals. He doesn’t do that sort of thing. We just need to focus on finding Sanha, and then we can come back to Myungjun. I bet it’s something stupid and harmless. Maybe he’s just stressed and it’s manifesting in weird ways.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin didn’t seem convinced, but after a few seconds of hesitation, he nodded his head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright,” he agreed. He stood up from the table and sighed. “Let’s reconvene tomorrow. Dongmin, meet again with the witch. See if you can’t recruit her help. She seems to be a stronger witch than Jinwoo. I’ll take Jinwoo back to that bar and talk to more people, more magic users, who also might be able to help. We’ll solve the case and then interrogate Myungjun.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk agreed, and, reluctantly, they all went to bed. Dongmin’s stomach turned over and over as he laid down beside Bin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another night with no progress. Another night without Sanha.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even as Bin held him close and whispered comforting words in his ear, Dongmin couldn’t help but cry.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You look like shit,” Myungjun mentioned the following morning as he checked Woojin’s backpack. “Did you not sleep well?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” Dongmin muttered, nursing a hot cup of coffee as he stared over at his notes. The words were all blurring together. He rubbed at his eyes and tried again to read the first line on his sixth page.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun gave a small hum but said nothing else, so Dongmin decided to continue the conversation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m...I’m sorry about last night. About...suspecting you of…” He wasn’t sure what to say. What did he suspect Myungjun of? Even he didn’t know.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun spared him a quick glance. “It’s alright,” he assured. “We’re all stressed.” There was a hesitation there, a brief period of silence, and then Myungjun added, “I’m still confused about my mind being blank.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His words were rehearsed. Dongmin took a sip of his coffee and stared at Myungjun, who awkwardly laughed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I-I mean...I dunno. Maybe one of Jinwoo’s potions was bad. Maybe he used the wrong magic. Maybe I met someone in passing who just put a spell on me and made my mind blank.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why would someone do that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hell if I know.” Myungjun zipped up the backpack and then called out, “Woojin! Come on, I gotta get you to daycare!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin watched as Woojin scurried into the living room, his hair a mess and his shirt only half-buttoned. Myungjun gave him a small </span>
  <em>
    <span>tsk</span>
  </em>
  <span> and worked on straightening up his unruly son. Soojin came running behind, but she looked far more put together. Myungjun must have already dressed Soojin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you coming back here after you drop them off at daycare?” Dongmin asked. Myungjun had called the daycare center early in the morning, determined to put them with people who </span>
  <em>
    <span>weren’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> working on an important murder and kidnapping case. Dongmin had already questioned why they couldn’t just go to the shop with Myungjun, and he had yet to receive a satisfactory answer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun nodded his head, then blinked. “Ah, but I have to fix something at my shop.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fix something?” Dongmin repeated.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s…” Myungjun sighed and waved a hand in Dongmin’s direction. “Don’t tell, but it’s like what I used to do.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin raised his eyebrows and Woojin tugged on Myungjun’s arm before anymore could be said. “Dad, come on! I’m bored! I wanna go play with my friends!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun sighed and nodded his head. He picked Soojin up and grabbed Woojin’s hand. Before he left, however, he glanced at Dongmin one last time and said, “It’s just animals.” Then he was gone, rushing the kids to the car.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin narrowed his eyes as he stared at the front door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Just animals?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Why had Myungjun specified </span>
  <em>
    <span>just animals?</span>
  </em>
  <span> He had taken care of plants before, too, but it went without saying that he only used his powers for plants and animals.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Just animals?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Had he caught onto Dongmin’s suspicions? He had been trying to cover his tracks for whatever else he had been doing?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No. He shouldn’t get caught up in Myungjun’s lies. Not now, not when he still had too much to do for Sanha. He ran his hands down his face and then attempted to focus back on his work.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The day passed uneventfully. The witch who made the potions offered her assistance. Jinwoo and Bin found little evidence at the bar, and no one willing to put their lives on the line to help. Minhyuk did more research that would likely end up going nowhere.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As the sun set, Dongmin found himself terribly frustrated. He had returned to the house but found it empty. There were no children running around, no husbands bickering together, no Bin, no Minhyuk, </span>
  <em>
    <span>nothing</span>
  </em>
  <span>, save for Jinwoo’s cat, who stared up lazily at Dongmin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin frowned and dropped his things on the table. He could understand the absences of everyone else; they were at the station going over a few more things. But why was Myungjun not yet home? Why was he taking so long at his floral shop? Dongmin knew that it had never taken him too long before to bring animals back from the dead. Besides, he couldn’t do it for too long or else he would knock himself unconscious. His powers could only go so far.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So where was he?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin grit his teeth down. He knew he wasn’t supposed to be investigating Myungjun; he was the one who had suggested they ignore Myungjun’s shady behavior for the time being. But nothing else was getting them anywhere, and in an act of desperation, Dongmin hurried outside to his car.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dammit,” he cursed as he began to drive down darkened roads. He ought to turn around and put Myungjun out of his mind, but he </span>
  <em>
    <span>couldn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Something was definitely amiss and he needed to figure it out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He called Bin on his way. Once his boyfriend answered the phone, he asked, “Have you heard from Myungjun?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin cleared his throat. “I thought...I thought we weren’t going to do this.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, but he’s been gone all day. The kids are still at daycare, I guess, even though it’s late. It’s not like Myungjun to just...to drop his kids off somewhere--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nah, they’re at the station.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin paused, then asked, “They’re what?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jinwoo went to go pick him up. Myungjun texted him and asked him to do that. Said he had some errands to run.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So you </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> heard from him!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, Jinwoo did. And it wasn’t much. Just...</span>
  <em>
    <span>pick up the kids, I have to do errands</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He hasn’t answered anything since then.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin frowned and considered the possibilities. So Myungjun was still out and about, possibly doing errands, and had Jinwoo pick up the kids? Could this be related to Soojin’s diagnosis? But if it was, wouldn’t he take Soojin to get second opinions? None of it made sense.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, I’m going to stop by his shop and see if he’s there,” Dongmin said. “Maybe I can talk to him alone for a bit and see if he can’t tell me what’s going on.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We said we’d focus on Sanha,” Bin reminded Dongmin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I...I know. I just...it’s a quick visit, and then I’ll be back. But something’s not sitting right with me. Today, when he left, he told me he was working on animals.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So he’s...he’s using his powers? Like he did at the bakery?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Apparently, yeah. But he specified </span>
  <em>
    <span>animals</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I dunno, it seems weird. I thought at first that maybe he was worried about Soojin and too stressed to come home and face his fears, but he hasn’t touched all those autism books since I came down here and now he’s reviving animals? I’m confused.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin was quiet for a few seconds before sighing. “Alright. Check on him quickly and then come back to the house, okay? We’ll meet up again later tonight and go over everything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure. I’ll be back soon. I love you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin chuckled. “Love you, too, babe.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They hung up just as Dongmin pulled up to the shop. He parked on the street and turned off his car, then stared out of the window. Everything seemed quiet. The shop appeared empty; he couldn’t see any cars, nor could he see any lights on.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun claimed to Jinwoo that he was running errands, and he probably was. It was probably silly for Dongmin to check out the shop when it appeared empty. Still, there was enough evidence that Myungjun had at least been at the shop earlier that day, and so Dongmin got out of his car and walked over to the front door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He peered inside, eyes scanning for anything amiss. Nothing looked out of place or different, and Dongmin turned to leave.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But then he caught a glimpse of light.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He spun back around and squinted his eyes a bit before noticing a little sliver of light from underneath the closed door of Myungjun’s office. The </span>
  <em>
    <span>back room</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he called it, and Dongmin was reminded of the back room at the bakery, where Myungjun had worked most of his magic. Was he in the office, then? Was he doing magic and helping animals come back to life?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin tried the front door and wasn’t shocked to find it locked. He had no key, either, but if Myungjun was still around, perhaps the back door would be unlocked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He hurried around the building and stopped in his tracks when he noticed a van parked beside Myungjun’s car.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Someone else was here, that meant. Someone else was inside the room with Myungjun.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>An uneasy feeling settled in Dongmin’s gut. He thought about turning back and calling Bin for some backup. He thought about simply texting Myungjun a brief message of </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m outside, come talk to me</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He thought about leaving and focusing solely on Sanha, as he ought to do.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But curiosity got the best of him, so he continued forward and gently tried the back door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was unlocked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The door opened quietly and Dongmin stepped inside the shop. He stared into the darkness, then turned to his right, to the closed office door. He couldn’t hear any talking, but he also knew Myungjun liked to perform his magic silently. Could someone else be waiting, then? Were they watching as Myungjun quietly and efficiently brought their beloved pet back to life?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He edged closer to the door and put his ear over it, listening.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Still, it was silent.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dare he open the door? He might break Myungjun’s concentration if he did. Myungjun would be rightfully pissed off. He would have to restart on his magic. Dongmin wet his lips nervously as he thought over his options.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then, he remembered Myungjun’s blank mind and the suspicious behavior that had been piling up. Did Myungjun really deserve to be left undisturbed? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin was a detective. He was naturally curious. He had to continue forward.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He opened the door and let his eyes adjust to the light for a second or two before noticing what was going on.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There were three people in the room; there was one man who stood in the corner, checking his phone, and two people who were currently performing necromancy on what looked to be a skeletal body caked in dirt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun was one of the necromancers, and he stared at Dongmin in shock and horror.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dongmin!” he exclaimed, and his hands dropped away from the decaying body, the blue light that emitted from them now disappearing in an instant. The other necromancer cursed but also ceased his efforts, wiping his hands on his pants and glaring over at Dongmin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin swallowed thickly, nervously, and realized that Myungjun was far more involved in the cases than he thought. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are...are these the bodies from the graveyard?” he asked, gesturing to the one body laying on the floor. “Myungjun, are you raising them up from the dead?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun shook his head frantically, but before he could say anything, the man standing near the far wall took out a gun and shot it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun screamed out a loud, “No!” but it was too late; the bullet pierced through Dongmin skin and he fell backwards, hitting the doorway as his body convulsed in pain.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Not again!</span>
  </em>
  <span> Why was </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> always the one getting shot at? He held a trembling hand to the wound, thankful that it at least had gone through his arm and didn’t appear to have hit anything major. The pain was unbearable, and he slid to the floor, groaning in agony.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun was on him in a second, hands hovering uselessly over Dongmin’s body as he cried out to the gunman, “Why the fuck did you </span>
  <em>
    <span>shoot him?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The man said something in response to Myungjun, but Dongmin wasn’t paying attention to that. He only had eyes for his friend, his friend who had betrayed them all, his friend who was using his magic for villainous purposes beyond their understanding. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The other necromancer said something that Dongmin </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> pick up on. “If he dies, I’m not bringin’ him back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He won’t die!” Myungjun exclaimed, though his voice was shaking and filled with doubt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin grunted and tried to sit up straighter. The other two men were picking up the skeleton, likely to stash it back in the van. Dongmin wondered where they would take it next. Dongmin wondered where they would take </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span> next. Surely they wouldn’t leave him, not after what he had seen and not after what they had done. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck you, Myungjun,” he snapped, glancing down at his wound and the blood caked on his hand. “What about Soojin, huh? What about Sanha? What about all of us?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun sniffled and shook his head, refusing to answer Dongmin’s inquiries. All he said was, “I’m so sorry, Dongmin.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin didn’t want to hear his apologies, though. The pain was too great, and his fear was growing more and more by the second. If Myungjun was willing to betray even his husband, then what would he be willing to do to the rest of them?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For the first time in his life, Dongmin didn’t feel safe in his best friend’s arms.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hit me up on my twitter page <a href="https://twitter.com/thevonseal">@vonseal</a> for spoilers and general nonsense.</p>
<p>also be sure to take my end-of-year poll so i can see what i ought to write more of! it is located <a href="https://forms.gle/jqYCqxp9gjmwuEHn6">HERE</a>.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>im a day late, pls forgive me and my sins</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Bin arrived at Jinwoo’s house that evening, he was a bit confused as to why Dongmin had yet to return from Myungjun’s shop. He shifted Soojin around in his arms and checked his phone for the time, and for any possible messages.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where’s Dongmin?” Jinwoo asked, his voice lowered to a whisper as he gently carried a sleeping Woojin to the children’s bedroom.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin followed him, depositing Soojin on her bed and pulling her covers up to her neck. “Not sure,” he responded quietly as Jinwoo tucked in his kids and gave them both kisses. “He said he was going to check up on Myungjun.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo shot him a look but said nothing until they escaped to the living room, where Minhyuk was waiting.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once out of earshot of his children, Jinwoo asked, “He went to see Myungjun?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Myungjun told me he was going on errands. How did Dongmin know where he was?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean, he was going to the shop. I told him that Myungjun was running errands, but he…” Bin wasn’t sure how much to tell. It was clear that Myungjun was trying to keep his necromancy a secret this time around, for some reason or another. Would he be angry if Bin told Jinwoo? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ah, well, he would face the wrath of Myungjun. He could always go back home, away from Myungjun’s lectures.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dongmin said that Myungjun was performing necromancy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo narrowed his eyes and shook his head. “He hasn’t been. I mean, sometimes he does stuff with plants, and maybe from time he helps out an animal or two, but it’s not a common thing anymore. He gave up that life when we moved.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin shrugged his shoulders. He only felt a little guilty at devolving such personal information to Jinwoo. At least he had yet to bring up Soojin’s possible issues. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s just what Dongmin told me,” Bin assured. “Apparently Myungjun said he was performing necromancy on animals. Just animals.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk chimed in. “This late at night?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s probably easier to do when it’s dark outside,” Bin suggested. “Less prying eyes, and his shop is closed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo grit his teeth down as he tossed his coat aside, not bothering yet to hang it up. “Well, they’ll be home soon,” he muttered, as if trying to assure himself of that fact. “Dongmin won’t let Myungjun stay out that late, I don’t think.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin had to agree. Dongmin was stressed and overwhelmed and likely wouldn’t want to spend too much time away from the case. Even if he was suspicious of Myungjun’s actions, Dongmin was smart; he knew to speed up his visit and come back home.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But then why had he already been gone for such a long time?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He called me hours ago,” Bin mentioned, glancing down again at his phone. “And I haven’t heard from him since.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, he’s with Myungjun. He’s fine,” Jinwoo said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was true. Myungjun would take care of Dongmin. They were childhood friends; Myungjun was arguably Dongmin’s best friend in the entire world. Nothing would go wrong as long as they had each other’s backs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Still, he weighed his phone in his hand and sighed. It wasn’t like Dongmin to forgo communication. And for </span>
  <em>
    <span>hours?</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll call him,” Bin decided aloud. “Just to make sure they didn’t run into any trouble. I mean, despite how close they are and how much they’ll protect each other, we do still have some crazy witch on the loose.” He noticed Minhyuk tense with those words, so he said nothing else. They all knew of the situation and of the friend they had yet to find. There was no need to rehash anything.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He called Dongmin’s phone and was shocked to hear a busy signal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Didn’t that mean the phone was off?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span> turned his phone off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He tried once more, and then sent a quick text, his heart hammering in his chest. Jinwoo and Minhyuk watched him inquisitively and Bin gestured at Jinwoo’s phone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Call Myungjun,” he urged. “Dongmin’s phone is off. Myungjun will answer, though.” He gave a short, breathless laugh and added, “I’ll bet he forgot to charge his phone. He can be really absent-minded at times, especially when he’s working hard. I always tell him he’s gotta charge his phone, but sometimes he doesn’t listen.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As he rambled on and on, Jinwoo was already calling Myungjun. Bin’s heart dropped when Jinwoo let his phone fall from his ear after only a few seconds.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“His phone’s off, too,” Jinwoo mumbled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin took a deep breath, willing himself to stay calm. “Okay,” he muttered. “It’s...I mean, it’s probably nothing. We should just...we should drive over to the shop, though, just to see what’s going on, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His response was silence. Jinwoo stared, first at him and then at his phone. He seemed confused and unsure, grappling with a variety of intense emotions. His eyes darted around the room, as if struggling to comprehend their current situation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finally, when his gaze landed on Minhyuk, he asked, “Can you watch the kids?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk glowered. “I didn’t come here to babysit,” he retorted. “My boyfriend is missing and I want--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Minhyuk,” Jinwoo snapped, “I’m trying to figure out what the hell happened to my husband. Something’s wrong with him, and--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We agreed not to deal with Myungjun until we found Sanha!” Minhyuk exclaimed. “Right, Bin? Wasn’t that the deal?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin winced as Jinwoo spun onto him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Great</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He hadn’t thought Minhyuk would blurt out their suspicions right away. He wanted to ease Jinwoo into their doubts, not fling them on him when he was already worried.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You agreed to </span>
  <em>
    <span>what?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Jinwoo asked, voice dangerously low.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re…” Bin sighed. He shouldn’t have to deal with this, and he shouldn’t have to walk on eggshells around one of his closest friends. “Fine, you know what? We suspect Myungjun’s doing something weird. His mind’s blank, he’s hiding shit from you about your daughter, he’s been weirdly guilty about something, and now he and Dongmin are both missing.” As he spoke, Bin snatched up his own jacket and seethed inside. Why should </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> have to deal with Jinwoo’s anger? Why should </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> have to explain the situation? Why couldn’t Myungjun just be </span>
  <em>
    <span>normal</span>
  </em>
  <span> for once and explain his suspicious behavior to his husband?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin reached for the door and thought better of it. “Jinwoo, you’re coming with me. Minhyuk, just shut the fuck up and stay </span>
  <em>
    <span>here</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and we’ll be back in ten minutes, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>oh my god</span>
  </em>
  <span>, let us deal with this shit, okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk said nothing. He glared, but Bin had grown far used to the glares recently. At least Jinwoo nodded in agreement and followed Bin to the car, forgoing his own jacket with a sense of urgency.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t until they were buckled in and driving away that Jinwoo asked, “What about Soojin?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Huh?” Bin reached into his pockets for his cigarettes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You said something about Soojin and--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Myungjun thinks she’s autistic. He’s hiding books about autism from you. I think his disappearances might have something to do with it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Perhaps relaying such information so suddenly was a terrible idea. Bin had always liked comforting people; he was a good police chief and ensured that any victims he spoke with were treated with dignity and respect. Delivering news so abruptly was unlike him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo gaped at him and then sat back in his seat. He blinked a few times before shaking his head and muttering, “Myungjun wouldn’t keep that from me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can show you the books, if you’d like. Dongmin said they were under your couch.” With one hand, he tugged a cigarette out of its carton and stuck it in between his lips as he worked on finding his lighter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I...I don’t think that’s right,” Jinwoo argued. “Soojin doesn’t seem autistic.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin was inclined to agree with Jinwoo. She seemed odd and different, but he wondered if that might just be her personality. She had a learning curve, too, since she could not hear, and she struggled to keep up with her far-more rambunctious older brother. To Bin, Soojin was a relatively normal girl.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could say nothing until he managed to light his cigarette, and after he tossed his lighter back in a cup holder and took a drag, he mentioned, “No, but that’s what Myungjun believes now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So you think he’s just...throwing himself into work, into necromancy, in order to calm himself down?” Jinwoo asked. “I mean, he’s done this before. He gets stressed and he surrounds himself with flowers. Using magic requires energy, and I think he wants to just...exhaust himself so he no longer has time to think about whatever stresses him out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin rolled his window down a little bit to flick some cigarette ash behind them. “Could be,” he concurred. “But he told Dongmin that he was bringing back </span>
  <em>
    <span>animals</span>
  </em>
  <span>, not plants. I don’t think he’s really made a name for himself in the necromancy business, not like he did back in Boryeong, so he’s doing something else there. And it doesn’t explain his mind being blank.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dongmin read him wrong,” Jinwoo argued, which had been his defense from the start. “His mind isn’t blank.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dongmin doesn’t read people wrong. The only person he can’t read is </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo drummed his fingers on his window, then added, “And me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hm?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He...I mean, I use my magic to block my mind so he can’t read my thoughts. I think it’s something only witches can do, though.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So Dongmin couldn’t read the mind of witches exerting energy, or those repellant to magic. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And they had already established a witch was behind Sanha’s disappearance and likely that one murder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And they believed the witch had a necromancer on their side.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No. No, Myungjun </span>
  <em>
    <span>couldn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> be working with the witch who had done such horrible things. He would never stoop to that level. He would never use his magic for nefarious purposes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But as they pulled to the floral shop and noticed a distinct lack of cars, Bin’s stomach turned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They scoured the premises for any sign of Dongmin or Myungjun’s vehicles. Nothing was parked in the front and nothing was parked in the back. When Jinwoo produced a shop key, Bin tossed his cigarette aside and hurried onward, following close behind Jinwoo as they entered the shop.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dongmin?” Bin called out. All of the lights were off and nothing seemed out of place. “Dongmin? Myungjun?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo opened the office door and looked inside. Those lights were off, too, and things appeared relatively normal. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Everything’s clean,” Jinwoo commented, flicking on the office lights. A bright bulb illuminated the space and they both inspected the area to see if anything was amiss.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So they’re not here,” Bin murmured. “If they aren’t here, then...where the hell are they? Dongmin wouldn’t have just left without telling me anything.” He leaned against a wall and looked around, struggling to notice </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything</span>
  </em>
  <span> off. Something had to be off. Myungjun and Dongmin were supposed to be here and they weren’t; something </span>
  <em>
    <span>was off</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He just couldn’t figure out what it was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It seemed Jinwoo couldn’t, either. He looked around in frustration and grit down his teeth. “Myungjun went to do errands,” he reminded Bin. “So it’s likely Dongmin went with him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And they </span>
  <em>
    <span>both</span>
  </em>
  <span> turned off their phones?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know!” Jinwoo threw his hands up in the air. “What the hell do you want me to say, Bin? I don’t know anymore what you want from me! I’m trying my best, and my husband is missing, and now your boyfriend is missing, and I know you blame Myungjun--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As he spoke, Bin slowly came to the realization that the office was clean, just as Jinwoo had stated.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Too clean.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Way too clean.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun typically had plants here and there, taking up random surfaces and scattered about on the floor. He had trails of soil, zig-zagging this way and that. He had things a little disorganized because that was just who Myungjun was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But this office was very much unlike Myungjun.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The plants were pushed neatly against one wall. The soil was gone. The walls were spotless and unstained with mud and dirt. The papers were stacked on Myungjun’s desk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin held up a hand, effectively ceasing Jinwoo in his rant. “Hold on,” he murmured, and he gestured at all he had noticed. “It’s clean.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo took a breath and narrowed his eyes. “What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s clean. Way too clean. Myungjun never keeps things this clean.” He hurried over to the desk and rifled through papers, not too surprised to find nothing but orders and budget sheets. If Myungjun had cleaned out evidence of his suspicious behavior, he would’ve taken the time to remove anything damning. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin turned his attention next to the walls, to the beautifully pristine walls. “I mean,” he continued, noticing Jinwoo’s confused expression, “there’s usually smears of soil everywhere. Unless Myungjun scrubbed everything down, this is...a bit unnatural, isn’t it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo said nothing in agreement, but neither did he disagree. He regarded Bin’s evidence with slight curiosity, and soon joined Bin by the wall. He brushed his fingers across the white paint and then jolted back a bit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Bin asked, startled by the sudden look of fear in Jinwoo’s eyes. “What’s wrong?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo swallowed nervously. “Sometimes,” he murmured, “sometimes I can feel strong magic. And...I feel strong magic. Right here. Right in this area.” He swept a hand out across the wall and glanced over at Bin. “I’ve never felt it this strong. There’s been a lot of magic used tonight.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Was it necromancy?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I...no, I don’t think so.” Jinwoo let his hands drop. He seemed conflicted. “I know how it feels when Myungjun performs his magic. It’s a very faint feeling, something I typically ignore. This, however, is strong. Perhaps there have been multiple instances of magic, but I’m...I’m more inclined to believe it’s a witch.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His own belief seemed to make him cringe. He stared at the wall, back tense and fists clenched. Bin knew it must be difficult for him to admit that his husband, the man he loved and adored above all others, might be in league with a witch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And though Bin suspected Myungjun more now than ever, he was quick to offer some comfort.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s likely Myungjun was taken, just like Sanha was. And maybe Dongmin was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Jinwoo whispered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin’s heart pounded in his chest. If that was the case, a witch now had his boyfriend; if that wasn’t the case, a bizarre fate had befallen upon Dongmin nonetheless, and now he was missing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s...let’s regroup back at the house,” he muttered. “We can take a glance at the books Myungjun’s hidden under the couch. Perhaps they’ll give us some sort of clue. Maybe we can figure out the doctor Myungjun has been seeing and retrace his steps.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And if we find Myungjun and Dongmin, then we might find Sanha,” Jinwoo whispered. “I think they’re all together, wherever they are.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Likely.” God, Bin needed another cigarette. His fingers trembled as he blindly grabbed at his carton. “Fuck. I’m…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo gave his back an awkward pat. “I know,” he muttered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin knew Jinwoo felt similarly. Both of their lovers were gone, joining their close friend somewhere in the unknown. A witch was now in control of their lives, and though Bin had grown to love and appreciate Jinwoo, he still couldn’t imagine entrusting his friends with any other witch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Especially with a witch who obviously wanted to cause trouble.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll figure it out,” Jinwoo assured him. He squeezed his eyes shut briefly, then opened them again and nodded his head resolutely. “Myungjun’s smart. He’s sure to have left clues in his books.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Bin cleared his throat. Myungjun lived with and around police and detectives. He was already smart and crafty. He would ensure that his rescue was imminent. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then, as he thought of all possible clues, he recalled what Dongmin had told him earlier.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Myungjun...Myungjun said he was bringing back animals,” Bin theorized, lighting his cigarette. He never smoked in Myungjun’s shop, not once, but he felt that the circumstances would allow for it. Indeed, though Jinwoo narrowed his eyes at the lit cigarette, he said nothing on the matter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Animals?” Jinwoo repeated.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Bin nodded his head. “He specified </span>
  <em>
    <span>animals.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He emphasized it, Dongmin said. He didn’t have to say that. He could’ve mentioned his plants. That would’ve been less suspicious. Dongmin probably wouldn’t have gone off looking for Myungjun if he was only bringing back plants. But he said </span>
  <em>
    <span>animals</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo caught on rather quickly. “Do you believe it to be code for something? He was trying to let Dongmin know what he was doing?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe,” Bin said, but he wondered what bringing back animals would have to do with witches and Sanha’s kidnapping. What purpose would a witch have with animals? Besides, it was obvious at this point that Myungjun had likely been performing necromancy on the bodies taken from the graveyard. He couldn’t have been performing necromancy on animals if he was busy on human skeletons.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Think, Bin,</span>
  </em>
  <span> he scolded himself, tuning into his old detective skills. As the police chief, he often didn’t have the time to analyze crime scenes and rifle through evidence. He left that to Dongmin, who was able to discern the truth with a mere interrogation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But his desire to save Dongmin forced him to focus all of his energy and figuring out the puzzle that was Myungjun’s mind. Why animals? What did animals have to do with anything? What could Dongmin even do with such information?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo said something. Bin snapped his head back up to listen. “Huh?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I said, we got my cat from this nearby animal shelter. Myungjun volunteers there every so often. Maybe it has to do with my cat?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The cat had been at the house all day. Myungjun had barely paid it any mind. No, it had to be something else.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The animal shelter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He snapped his fingers and asked, “What if he wasn’t referring to a physical action, but rather a location?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A location?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. The shelter. What if he’s trying to tell us where Sanha is, where Dongmin is, where </span>
  <em>
    <span>he </span>
  </em>
  <span>might be?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What would he be doing at a shelter?” Jinwoo asked, utterly confused.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a good question, but Bin was already clinging onto the little sliver of hope that Dongmin would be safe and sound and surrounded by cute dogs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dunno,” he said, “but let’s get to the car anyway.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They could regroup and solve this mystery once and for all.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hit me up on my twitter page <a href="https://twitter.com/thevonseal">@vonseal</a> for spoilers and general nonsense.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>the mystery is maybe solved bc i suck at mystery</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Dongmin grit his teeth down and winced as he was shoved forward. He stumbled a bit and wondered how the hell he had survived his last bullet wound. It was a lot more painful than he had remembered it being. His other hand gripped at his shoulder and blood smeared across his palm, but he knew he ought to put pressure on it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And all the while, he glared at Myungjun.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What did you guys do to Sanha?” he asked, walking down a hallway. He could hear barking in the distance, and he wished he had gotten a good look at the building before the witch had unceremoniously shoved him through a back door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun sighed, but before he could answer, the witch said, “We’re going to create an army of magic users, one that will force the government to its knees and make them answer for the crimes they commit against all those with magic.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin spared the witch a quick glance. He tried to use his powers, but the witch’s mind was blank, much like Bin’s always was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Much like Myungjun’s had been.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did he use a spell to block your mind?” Dongmin asked Myungjun. “You were worried I might get curious and figure out what was going on, hm?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sanha’s safe,” Myungjun blurted out, in what appeared to be an effort to draw attention away from his wrongdoings. “He’s in here.” They stopped at a door and Myungjun gestured. “I promise I made sure no harm came to him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a snort, Dongmin responded, “So you guys didn’t shoot </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span> in the shoulder, I guess?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The look of guilt on Myungjun’s face was both heart-wrenching but also rather satisfying. Dongmin accepted his small victory until the witch shoved again at his shoulder, causing him to yelp out slightly in pain.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could see the smug look on the witch’s face as he opened the door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dongmin?” came Sanha’s voice, and Dongmin worked through his pain in order to properly greet his close friend.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sanha did appear to be in good condition, especially for having been kidnapped and held hostage for so long. He wasn’t chained up, nor was he despairing. Instead, he grinned and rushed forward, wrapping his arms around Dongmin in delight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh my god, I’ve missed you! How’s Minhyuk doing? Is he alright? Myungjun hasn’t told me much, but he says you’ve all been searching for me. I feel so bad worrying Minhyuk like this. Can -- you’re hurt! Myungjun, has he been shot?” Sanha pulled back upon noticing blood on his shirt and his hands uselessly hovered over Dongmin’s bullet wound.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun, standing behind Dongmin, sighed again. “I’ll fix it,” he assured. “Jinhwi, do you mind grabbing me a first aid kit? Unless </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> want to help, Youngwoong?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin glanced over just in time to see the witch shrug his shoulders in reply to Myungjun’s suggestion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine,” Myungjun muttered. “I’ll fix it. Shame, though, that you allow your </span>
  <em>
    <span>soldiers</span>
  </em>
  <span> to get hurt like this and offer them--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The witch turned and left, closing the door behind him. Myungjun narrowed his eyes at the door and whispered something crude under his breath before turning his attention to Dongmin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Take off your shirt,” he ordered. “Jinhwi will go grab the first aid kit and I can work on this--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’d rather you not,” Dongmin snapped, stepping away from Myungjun and pulling Sanha with him. “You were the reason I was shot in the first place. I mean, what the fuck are you even doing? You’re working with a witch? You’re bringing dead bodies back to life? You helped kidnap </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sanha?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I…” Myungjun shook his head. He cast the other necromancer, Jinhwi, a desperate glance, but Jinhwi looked very much uninterested in getting involved.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was Sanha, sweet, sweet Sanha, who pried himself away from Dongmin and said, “I wouldn’t blame him too much. I don’t think it was fully his fault.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It was,” Myungjun mumbled. “I just...I had to follow along, okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin’s mind, honed from years and years of detective work, struggled to put together a narrative. He needed to find the reason behind all of Myungjun’s insanity. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did Sanha really call you the morning he went missing?” was Dongmin’s first question. That was when things turned to chaos; surely that must have been when Myungjun was involved. If it was any earlier, he ought to have told someone. But if it had already happened, then Myungjun would have just been dragged along.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sure enough, Myungjun nodded his head, then thought better of it and shrugged. “Yes, and no. It was the witch -- and Jinhwi.” He gestured to the other necromancer with disgust brewing in his gaze. Jinhwi only gave him a proud smirk and said nothing. “He told me what they were doing; creating an army of magic users in order to fight back against an oppressive government. They wanted all different types of magic users, and Jinhwi had been looking for me when he came across Sanha instead. He and Youngwoong decided to kidnap Sanha, since he was a shifter and they needed one, and then they called me using Sanha’s phone. They told me what they had done, and…” He swallowed thickly and closed his eyes before continuing. “They threatened my family, Dongmin. They-they don’t need Jinwoo, since he’s a low-level witch and Youngwoon is powerful enough on his own, but they told me if I didn’t join with them, then-then they would ruin my family. Jinwoo would be outed as a witch, I would be outed as a necromancer, and our children would be targeted by Youngwoon’s powers. I can’t…” He trailed off, his voice choking out as he realized what all he had at stake.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For the first time since the discovery, Dongmin did feel pity toward his friend. “You could’ve told someone,” he murmured. “Somehow, you could’ve let us know. We can help--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Youngwoon would know if he did,” Jinhwi pointed out, offering them all a wide smile. “Best to keep it a secret, don’t you think?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin noticed the way Myungjun tensed as Jinhwi brushed past him to the door. Once the other necromancer was gone, he seemed to breathe a little easier, though it was clear he was shaken and quite disturbed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Take o-off your shirt,” he ordered again, unable to stop his voice from stammering.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin regarded him cautiously, but then did as he asked. Sanha had to assist him, and Dongmin then noticed small bands jangling around Sanha’s wrists. He touched one and Sanha grimaced.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The witch put these on me,” he explained, answering Dongmin’s wordless question. “They stop me from using my powers, so I can’t escape out of here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then how does he expect you to join his army?” Dongmin asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun, examining Dongmin’s wound, responded, “He’ll control those that are unwilling. Most of the ones he’s gathering </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span> willing; Jinhwi and I have been bringing some back to life, as you guys already know, and others have joined on their own.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin felt sick, and he glanced at Sanha, who struggled to keep his smile on his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you’re okay with that, Myungjun?” Dongmin asked. “You’re okay with a witch using Sanha as a puppet? I’ve seen that before, back in the Gangnam District, and two of those who were under the witch’s control died.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m doing my best!” Myungjun snapped, glaring up at Dongmin. “I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>trying</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Dongmin! I’m not a detective, though. I’m not a policeman. I didn’t graduate high school. My brain isn’t as logical as yours and Jinwoo’s and Bin’s. I don’t know how the fuck to get either Sanha nor myself out of this situation!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As if sensing a fight, Sanha interrupted, “I would’ve been kidnapped either way, even if Myungjun had refused to offer assistance. At...at least this way, I’m not alone in here. Myungjun’s been visiting me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Though Sanha was correct and it </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> better that Myungjun hadn’t left Sanha alone, it still rubbed Dongmin the wrong way. His best friend was working with the enemy. Despite the reasons behind his involvement, if they ever got out of this, Myungjun would be branded as a criminal. He was grave-robbing, performing necromancy on humans, and helping to stir a rebellion. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Still,” Dongmin complained as Myungjun gathered some medical supplies from the first-aid kit, “you could have somehow told someone. We could have--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What part of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Youngwoon would know</span>
  </em>
  <span> do you not understand?” Myungjun hissed angrily. “If I told, then Youngwoon would make sure Jinwoo was found out. If the government learns about Jinwoo’s existence, if they learn he’s a witch, they’ll kill him. Then I’ll be in trouble, not only for marrying a witch, but because I’m a necromancer. People will know. They might harm my kids. And that’s the best-case scenario -- the worst is that I lose my children and go to jail. Then, my husband will be dead and my kids will be in the hands of someone else.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin winced as Myungjun wiped away some of the blood on his wound. He could understand the predicament Myungjun had found himself in. Still, he worried that his friend’s involvement could ruin the rest of them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just...there should have been </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span> you could have done, some way to let Jinwoo know what was happening.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun snorted. “Tell you what, Dongmin -- when you get married and adopt children and then get blackmailed by a witch and his gang of magic users, then you can figure out what the best choice is. My best choice was to protect my family.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin fell silent as Myungjun continued to clean the wound. What more was there to say? Myungjun had done what he thought was the best decision. It was a </span>
  <em>
    <span>wrong</span>
  </em>
  <span> decision, but there hadn’t really been any way for him to get out of that decision. It was unfortunate. It was devastating.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He shared a glance with Sanha, who cleared his throat and commented, “So, Dongmin, how are we going to get out of this now?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin thought of poor Bin, who was likely to wonder where he was. “I mean, Bin’s a brilliant detective. He might think of something.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not if all of the bases are covered,” Myungjun muttered, grabbing some gauze. “I’m going to leave the bullet in your shoulder for now. Once you’re able to see a medical professional, then--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“When will that be? When the hell am I getting out of here?” Dongmin snapped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun shrugged his shoulders uselessly. “I...I don’t know. We have a healer who we’ll bring back to life. Maybe they’ll…” He trailed off, looking incredibly lost and concerned. “I’m so sorry, Dongmin. I really, truly never meant for any of this to happen. If I could go back in time an-and at least </span>
  <em>
    <span>try</span>
  </em>
  <span> to warn someone, then…” He took a deep, shuddering breath, and, oddly enough, it was Sanha who approached him with a hug.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s alright, Myungjun,” Sanha assured in his sweet voice. “Bin and Jinwoo are smart. They’ll figure it out, okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun nodded his head desperately, but his eyes still sought out Dongmin’s gaze for forgiveness.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin looked away. He didn’t think he would be able to forgive just yet.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He fell in and out of consciousness. Sanha changed his bandages, gagging and grimacing all the while. Sometimes he kept Dongmin awake by talking to him and telling him mundane, silly stories of instances from work, back when he had been working.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And he would ponder and ask about Minhyuk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I hope he’s eating well,” he mumbled, wiping some excess blood off of Dongmin’s arm. “Sometimes when he gets worried he forgets to eat.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s a bit self-destructive in that regard, isn’t he?” Dongmin teased, wincing at the pain in his shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sanha nodded his head, then snorted. “I mean, I am, too.” He pointed at his wrist, at the scars that had yet to fade.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin closed his eyes and thought of poor Sanha, who had been so desperate to escape his shackles that he had tried to dig deep into his skin. He had only succeeded in those hideous scars, and had caused much grief to everyone around him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then why, now, was he allowing himself to be shackled? Dongmin opened his eyes and stared up at his younger friend.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t you want to escape?” he asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sanha scoffed. “Of course I do. I hate being here. I miss Minhyuk so much, and I’m...I’m scared of what might happen to me.” He gestured to the door and explained, “But there’s not much I can do against a super powerful witch. Honestly, I know you’re angry, but even Myungjun is powerless to him. For the time being, we just have to play along.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That made sense. There was no point in struggling if the fight would be worthless. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sanha continued to clean the bullet wound, and examined it with a pained expression.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin asked, “What was it like when you were captured?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, I don’t remember much,” Sanha said, seemingly eager to share his story. “My door opened, and suddenly I’m here. Myungjun says they likely put a spell on me to make it easier for me to be kidnapped. Like, maybe I was obedient and had to obey the witch, I don’t know. It was...I was really scared. It wasn’t until Myungjun was able to come into my room that I calmed down some. It’s been easier, knowing he has my back and he’ll help me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And though Dongmin knew of the reasons as to why Myungjun was working with the witch, he couldn’t help but mumble, “Some help </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> is.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sanha shrugged his shoulders, as if knowing Dongmin would still be upset. “It’s not...it’s not </span>
  <em>
    <span>ideal</span>
  </em>
  <span>, I guess, but I think we’ll get out of it. Minhyuk and I were in a tricky situation once before and we managed to finally find our way out. Mostly thanks to your old police chief from the Gangnam District.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sometimes Dongmin forgot that his old boss was a strong witch. He wondered if Bin had thought to contact him again and ask for his assistance. He wondered how he could ask Myungjun to do so, if he had not already. Having Chief Choi’s magic powers, combined with Jinwoo’s, could surely beat down these other magic users.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I feel bad for this guy who has us here,” Sanha suddenly stated. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You feel </span>
  <em>
    <span>bad</span>
  </em>
  <span> for him? After he kidnapped you?” Dongmin couldn’t quite believe what he was hearing. “He’s planning to start a war with everyone else, and he’s planning to </span>
  <em>
    <span>force</span>
  </em>
  <span> us into it! He’s already forced Myungjun into this -- he’ll do the same to us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In agreement, Sanha nodded. “Yeah, but...I know it’s difficult to be a witch. I mean, it’s bad enough being a shifter, and a mind-reader, but if word gets out of our abilities, we’ll just be looked down on and maybe given mean looks. The higher up you go on the magic scale, the worst it gets. Minhyuk told me all about how Myungjun lived before moving, and I can only guess what happened to Jinwoo.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin knew a little of what happened to Jinwoo. He had seen a terrible, abusive boyfriend and a family who treated him like garbage. He had seen a life of homelessness, of fear, of neglect. It wasn’t until he fell into Myungjun’s shop that his life had finally taken a turn for the better, and that was only after he ran away from who he was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This witch must have suffered similarly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Still, Dongmin couldn’t find himself to offer as much sympathy as he had to Jinwoo.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jinwoo struggled, but he’s not trying to enslave other magic users for his own nefarious purposes,” he pointed out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a laugh, Sanha conceded, “You’re not wrong.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And other magic users don’t want a war. They want to continue living their lives peacefully.” Dongmin thought of the magic users who frequented that one bar, the ones who shook their heads in disgust when the protests happened and who quickly and easily rejected the witch’s crazy army.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There are other ways to gain acceptance,” Dongmin concluded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe.” Sanha finished cleaning Dongmin’s arm and rebandaged what he could.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin eyed him curiously. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” he repeated. “Sanha, don’t tell me you agree with this witch.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m just saying that nothing else has worked. He’s desperate. And I know what it feels like to be desperate.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s threatening the very people he claims to help! Myungjun had to betray his friends and family, most all of whom are magic users, or at least supportive of magic users; you are shackled and locked away as your boyfriend worries helplessly; now I’m shot and denied professional medical attention all so the witch can get what </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> wants.” Dongmin tested his arm, moving it around a little bit, but decided it was far too painful to continue. He had to rest, so he leaned against the wall of the small room and said, “He’s selfish and stupid. He only cares about himself. He doesn’t care for me or you or even Myungjun. He’s using Jinwoo’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>life</span>
  </em>
  <span> as a way to keep Myungjun hostage, so he clearly also doesn’t care for other witches.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sanha seemed through playing Devil’s advocate. He nodded, his smile faltering slightly, then asked, “How do you think we’ll make it out of this? I don’t want him to put me under his control anymore.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll...we’ll think of something,” Dongmin assured. Sanha looked doubtful, and stared pointedly at the bandage around Dongmin’s arm. “Fine, maybe </span>
  <em>
    <span>we</span>
  </em>
  <span> won’t,” Dongmin muttered, “but Bin was </span>
  <em>
    <span>born</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be a detective and solve issues. And Jinwoo can be surprising when he needs to be. And Minhyuk is clearly a force to be reckoned with, and I pray for any soul that ends up on his bad side.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sanha giggled. “Minhyuk’s stronger than all of us,” he teased.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, I agree.” Dongmin smiled, trying his best to convince not only Sanha of their eventual rescue, but also himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Secretly, though, he had to admit that things really didn’t look that great.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hit me up on my twitter page <a href="https://twitter.com/thevonseal">@vonseal</a> for spoilers and general nonsense.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>so if u dont understand whats going on, its fine. i dont either.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Bin peered underneath the couch and made a noise of a triumph as he pulled out several books. They spilled onto the floor, where Minhyuk and Jinwoo stared upon them. Minhyuk looked quite defeated, but Jinwoo was surprised. He rifled through some of the books in wonder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So...Myungjun got these from the doctor?” he wondered, settling on the floor beside the books. “Soojin’s autistic?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he turned page after page, though, Bin began to notice something rather strange.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That particular book was blank.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lemme see that,” he muttered, snatching it from Jinwoo’s hands. Jinwoo protested, but Bin was determined to properly examine the strange book. He looked through the entire thing, turning it this way and that, before concluding that Myungjun had a blank book in his stack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He narrowed his eyes and carefully passed the book back to Jinwoo before grabbing another one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Also blank.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait a second.” He tried to figure out why the books were devoid of images, of words, of content. They contained nothing but white, pristine pages. These weren’t books; they were merely impressionations of books. They contained no information.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why is Myungjun hiding blank books?” he wondered aloud.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jinwoo glanced at him in confusion. “Blank?” he repeated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. These are...these are blank.” He looked between Jinwoo and Minhyuk, both of whom seemed rather taken aback. “Are...are the books blank to your eyes? Am I the only one who sees </span>
  <em>
    <span>nothing?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How the hell do you see nothing?” Jinwoo asked. He picked up a book and opened it, then began to read: “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Autism is a developmental disorder that is marked by two unusual kinds of behaviors. </span>
  </em>
  <span>It talks about the behavioral symptoms right here, Bin, don’t you see?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Minhyuk piped up, “This one, too. These books </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> words.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bin felt his eyebrows furrow and he continued to examine the books. No matter what he did, though, no matter how many pages he turned or how much he squinted his eyes, he could see nothing save for blank page after blank page.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Frustrated, he exclaimed, “There’s nothing here! I don’t get it -- how come I can’t see what you guys </span>
  <em>
    <span>can</span>
  </em>
  <span> see?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jinwoo regarded him cautiously for a few seconds before slight recognition lit in his gaze. He placed a hand over the book he held and took a deep breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s because Bin is immune to magic,” he pointed out to Minhyuk. “I can feel that witch’s magic here, too; he’s created an illusion. It can’t fool Bin, though, because Bin is adverse to the effects of magic.” Jinwoo concentrated on the books and whispered a few spells. A soft, white glow spread out across his fingers and he took his time, delivering the same magic to each and every book. After a couple of minutes, he seemed to finish his task.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bin’s right; they’re blank,” he said, holding up the books that were now presumably as they should be -- free of illusion. Minhyuk gaped at the white pages.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why would Myungjun need blank books?” he asked. “Couldn’t the witch just use </span>
  <em>
    <span>real</span>
  </em>
  <span> books?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe he didn’t expect Bin,” Jinwoo pointed out. “I don’t think many people know of Bin’s immunity. It’s not something any of us think or talk of daily.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Minhyuk narrowed his eyes. “Yeah, but why take the time to magic blank books? Why even </span>
  <em>
    <span>give</span>
  </em>
  <span> him blank books? It would make more sense to just find some regular books, wouldn’t it? Less likely to fail. Less tricky.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He did make a good point. What reason would there be for the </span>
  <em>
    <span>blank</span>
  </em>
  <span> books? The witch knew that Myungjun was married to another witch. Wasn’t he worried his books would be detected?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was only one explanation Bin could think of.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s hiding something in here,” Bin said. “Within the blank pages. He’s hiding something in these pages. That’s why they’re blank.” Bin peered back underneath the couch. There were a few toys there, some dust bunnies Jinwoo had yet to clear, and then, toward the center, was what looked to be a small flashlight. Bin pulled that out and turned it on, then laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ultraviolet light,” he commented, shining it onto the books. “God, I can’t believe a witch would resort to fucking invisible ink. I expected more, maybe, from a </span>
  <em>
    <span>witch</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Geez,” Minhyuk murmured, “he went through a lot just to write out a few hidden messages.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Perhaps he likes this little game he’s developed,” Bin responded. “For once, he’s got more power than anyone else. For once, he’s in charge of others. He can do whatever he wants, and...and I guess he wanted to write stuff out in invisible ink.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Minhyuk grabbed another book to look through, and he mentioned, “It’s a little childish, don’t you think?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is,” Jinwoo agreed, his forehead wrinkled in thought. “But I find myself doing childish things every so often. When you had no childhood to speak of, it’s easy to perform childish actions in your adulthood.” Then, he groaned. “I can’t believe I’m relating to a </span>
  <em>
    <span>witch!</span>
  </em>
  <span> God help me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re a witch, too,” Bin pointed out. “But I understand.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m a good witch,” Jinwoo defended himself. “I don’t use my powers for...for </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bin would have responded, but he came across one of the pages with invisible ink. He held the ultraviolet flashlight up a bit higher in an effort to read all of the words on the page, and found himself a little surprised with some of the content.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Plans,” Bin muttered. “All of his different plans, it looks like. The steps he’ll take to complete these plans. Look, Jinwoo, it even includes what will become of his opponents. It’s…” Bin flipped through several more pages of similar outlines, growing frightened with each new paragraph, with each new bullet point.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>From what he could gather, the witch would use all those with magic to complete his goals. He would control them and force them to perform their magical abilities. Then, if they dissented later, he would keep them under his control forever. They would become puppets, used only to perform whatever magic he needed at the time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This monster has my boyfriend,” Bin snapped. “He’s...oh, god, he’s going to control their minds!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that what happened to Myungjun?” Minhyuk questioned. He swallowed thickly and gestured at the books. “Is...is this the mind control in action?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Myungjun wasn’t…” Jinwoo sighed heavily, looking pained to even continue his sentence. “If Myungjun had been under the control of a witch, I definitely would have sensed that. The power needed to control another human being is...great. Myungjun wasn’t under his control at all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then Myungjun </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew</span>
  </em>
  <span> about all of this?” Minhyuk slammed his book shut. “He’s been reading through the plans. He was </span>
  <em>
    <span>given</span>
  </em>
  <span> the plans! He used the autism illusion as cover, but he knew all along about the disgusting things this asshole has planned!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jinwoo seemed to have no answer. He stood there uselessly, gazing down at the closed book, struggling to find an answer as to why Myungjun had gotten involved with a terrible witch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Minhyuk continued on his tirade. “I trusted him, you know. We </span>
  <em>
    <span>all</span>
  </em>
  <span> trusted him! But he’s gone and lied and helped </span>
  <em>
    <span>kidnap</span>
  </em>
  <span> -- and didn’t this witch murder someone? Was Myungjun involved with </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span>, too? I’ll kill him. If I ever see him again, I’ll fucking kill--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Minhyuk,” Bin murmured, interrupting his angry ranting. “What Myungjun did -- what he </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> doing -- is terrible. But let’s think through this logically, alright? We know that Myungjun was hiding these plans from us. We also know that he likely had something to do with Dongmin’s disappearance, at least. But do we really think that Myungjun has suddenly turned against his friends and family in order to aid someone planning a revolution? Myungjun has always turned his back to these revolts. This time was different, though -- something made him join along.” Minhyuk glowered still, but at least he didn’t start yelling again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bin turned to Jinwoo next. Poor Jinwoo still looked horribly lost and confused, as if unable to comprehend the horrors his husband was a part of. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you noticed a change in behavior from Myungjun?” Bin asked. “I mean, I know he’s been acting weird recently, but have you noticed a change within him around the time Sanha went missing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jinwoo thought for a few seconds before slowly shaking his head. “No. I...I don’t think so, at least. He seemed normal. But I’d been so busy, what with work and--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Daddy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They all turned to see Woojin standing by the entrance to the living room. He wore his train pajamas and hugged a small, stuffed cat to his chest. His eyes were large and round and he stared fearfully at Jinwoo.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Woojin,” Jinwoo breathed, pushing the books aside and rushing over to his son. “What are you doing up, baby?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I...I heard yelling.” Woojin gazed over at Bin and Minhyuk; Minhyuk ducked his head, eyes shining with guilt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jinwoo ruffled Woojin’s hair. “I’m sorry, Woojin. We were...we were talking about a soccer game that was really exciting. You know we like soccer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Woojin played a bit with his cat’s ears. “When’s Dad coming home?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bin could see Jinwoo stiffen. Minhyuk flinched, as if almost hit, and there was a brief silence that followed that question. Woojin asked again: “Is Dad coming home?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The subtle change in question caused Jinwoo to exhale, and he shook his head helplessly. “I don’t know. Maybe. Soon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where is he?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s, um...at his shop. He had to do a huge order of flowers.” Jinwoo gave Woojin’s shoulder a small pat. “Why don’t we go back to bed?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you tuck me in?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” Jinwoo agreed. He herded Woojin back to his room, and then Bin and Minhyuk were left alone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Minhyuk’s grip on the book was tight, but a small idea began to form in the back of Bin’s mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Only animals,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Myungjun had told Dongmin. It had been a lie, but it was a useless lie. There had been no reason to lie. If he had kept quiet, would Dongmin have even suspected anything at all? It seemed the reason Dongmin investigated was because of </span>
  <em>
    <span>only animals</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had to mean something. Was it code? Was it a secret message? Was there something Myungjun was trying to convey?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then he remembered what Jinwoo had mentioned -- Myungjun volunteered at the animal shelter sometimes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me see that,” Bin grumbled, snatching the book away from Minhyuk. He flipped through page after page, using the ultraviolet light to read the writings of the crazed witch. The location given was never obvious, but he was finally able to find something on the last page of the book, after pages of absolutely nothing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There, in a different handwriting scrawl, was a message.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I’m sorry,</span>
  </em>
  <span> it read. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He threatened my family</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There it was. A reason behind the madness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look,” Bin whispered, showing the words to Minhyuk. Myungjun’s handwriting continued further down the page.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hope Animal Shelter</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s where they are!” Minhyuk exclaimed. His eyes lit up with renewed hope and determination. “They </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be here! Myungjun gave us a location!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bin agreed. Though nothing else was on the page, and though he couldn’t find any of Myungjun’s writings elsewhere in the novel, it seemed as if they had cracked the code.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It also had given them Myungjun’s innocence -- or as innocent as he could be, really, involving himself with a murderous witch. But if his family’s life had been threatened, then Myungjun was sure to act irrationally.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Jinwoo returned, Bin eagerly showed him the final page, too. Jinwoo’s breath seemed caught in his throat as he traced his fingers over Myungjun’s messily-scrawled words.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s not evil, then,” Jinwoo whispered. “Oh, thank god.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And he gave us the exact location,” Bin responded. “We’ll find them. Don’t worry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now that they knew where to look, Bin was more than ready to continue the search. This time, for sure, they would kill that witch and save their friends.</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jinwoo refused to involve the other cops from his station. He worried about them, he said, and he worried what they would think if they were to find out that their head detective was a magic user.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll likely have to perform my powers,” he muttered, seeming resigned to the fate which awaited him. “Otherwise, there’s really no way we can go up against a witch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bin nodded his head. “Just the two of us, then?” Minhyuk had been regulated as a babysitter once more. He was extremely disappointed and had argued and fussed until Jinwoo pointed out the logistics of their plan. No one else was available; Jinwoo had left a message for Myungjun’s parents, who were asleep and had their phones silenced, but even if they had received the message, it would take them hours to make the trek down to North Gyeongsang Province. Minhyuk was not a cop nor was he a detective, and so it made much more sense to leave him behind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jinwoo sighed. “Just the two of us,” he confirmed to Bin. “And...I don’t know how often I need to stress this, but I’m really not a powerful witch. I have no idea how the hell I’m going to go up against </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> witch; he’s dangerous, and his powers are far greater than mine, if he’s able to control people for an extended period of time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll think of something,” Bin assured him. “Besides, we have the element of surprise on our side. He doesn’t know we’re coming.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He must suspect </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I mean, he’s kidnapped two more people with ties to us -- do you really think he believes that we’ll sit back and </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> go after him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, but I think he believes we haven’t found out about his fake books.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jinwoo made a small noise of agreement, but he still gripped tightly onto his steering wheel and he still stared ahead with a worried expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bin wasn’t sure how to calm his friend down. Truth be told, he, too, was terrified of what they might have to face. It had been such a long time since he had gone up against a witch, and even then she had been difficult to kill.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So,” he said, doing his best to draw Jinwoo’s attention away from the near-impossible task, “why do you think he killed that woman and dumped her body in Boryeong?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, we know he dumped her in Boryeong so he could look for Myungjun,” Jinwoo stated, looking rather pleased to have a change of conversation. Talking about what they knew, what had already happened, was far more productive than talking about the possible failure that loomed ahead. “Though, from my understanding of that case, the van returned here later that morning, correct?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jinwoo hummed a bit before mentioning, “He either came back or had someone else dump the body for him. I think it’s likely it wasn’t him -- he’s crafty enough to cover his tracks, and that was definitely not the work of someone trying to cover their tracks. I would like to know the reasoning behind the murder, though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bin pursed his lips and mentioned, “Myungjun might know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He noticed Jinwoo flinch, and he tried, once again, to lead the conversation in a happier path. “Myungjun’s on our side, at least. He’ll help us. If any of us gets hurt or...or dies, you know he’d help us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Jinwoo nodded frantically. “Yeah, he will.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s good at what he does, too. A fantastic necromancer! He brought you back to life before, didn’t he?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s not talk about us dying, please.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right.” Bin groaned and leaned against the car window, squishing his cheek into the glass. “I don’t know what I’m saying. I think I’m just nervous. Usually I have Dongmin by my side in these situations. I’m not used to just rushing in alone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Especially not since you became the chief of police, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, god, especially not since then. It’s been a while. I think I’m kinda out of shape.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you kidding?” Jinwoo spared him a quick glance. “You look amazing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t lie. I have a belly. I haven’t been doing my workouts as often as I used to, and now I have a desk job so I hardly do anything at all. Hell, I find myself joining police and detectives once in a while just to get a bit more active.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, </span>
  <em>
    <span>finally</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Jinwoo shot him a smile. “And now you’re joining us again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I should’ve stayed home.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And miss out on possibly dying?” Jinwoo slowed down as he turned onto a dirt path. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bin snorted, but he kept his eyes in front of them. It was dark; even darker when Jinwoo dimmed his headlights and pointed at the building in front of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s it,” he murmured. His smile was gone and his eyes were alight with worry once more. “How should we access it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, we can’t go in and just start a shootout,” Bin responded. He had gone through special privileges for his gun, and Jinwoo had done the same. In the face of a witch, however, they were likely useless. “Is there any magic you can perform? Something like…” He trailed off, trying to think of magical spells.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Invisibility,” Jinwoo whispered. “It’ll last for about two hours. I’ve perfected that one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve </span>
  <em>
    <span>perfected </span>
  </em>
  <span>it? How many times have you used it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just…” Jinwoo sighed. “Let’s use invisibility. It won’t hide our voices, but we’ll stay silent. We can make our way through this shelter and look for Dongmin, Sanha, and Myungjun.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bin agreed, and Jinwoo performed the spell. It was interesting to see the words coming out of Jinwoo’s mouth, to see the light glow that surrounded them, but once all the theatrics were done, Bin couldn’t tell that anything had necessarily changed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He glanced down at his arms and held them out in front of him. “So...are you </span>
  <em>
    <span>sure</span>
  </em>
  <span> we’re invisible?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Positive.” Jinwoo opened the door to his car quietly and whispered, “Come on. We gotta find an entrance.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So Bin, though he was still rather nervous, followed suit. He crept after Jinwoo, his heart pounding as they stepped closer and closer to the animal shelter. He could hear a few dogs barking and he wondered if Dongmin was kept with the dogs. He wondered if Dongmin was chained to be like a dog.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hoped not. If that was the case, he would rip the stupid witch apart with his own two hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, regardless, he decided he would rip the witch apart anyway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They just had to find the son of a bitch first.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>u confused yet bc i am</p><p>hit me up on my twitter page <a href="https://twitter.com/thevonseal">@vonseal</a> for spoilers and general nonsense.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>mystery is basically all wrapped up, holla, now we get to the action</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“I need to retire,” Dongmin muttered as Myungjun checked out his wound. “I’ve been shot in the shoulder twice. Why do people even aim for the </span>
  <em>
    <span>shoulder?</span>
  </em>
  <span> It’s near impossible to hit.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you’ve been hit twice,” Myungjun pointed out, offering Dongmin a small smile. “You must be lucky.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, I’m just an idiot who always manages to confront angry witches.” Dongmin hissed in pain as Myungjun dabbed a wet cloth against his wound.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun had enough decency to look apologetic. “Sorry,” he murmured. “But we need to clean it again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin nodded his head and tried his best to focus on something else other than the searing pain spreading down his arm. “The...the case we had back in Boryeong. Oh Yujin. The girl who died. Does she have anything to do with </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> case?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah. Yeah.” Myungjun cleared his throat and talked a bit quieter. “Youngwoong had heard about a witch making potions to turn normal people into magic users. He didn’t like that idea, and so he and his followers killed the first client they had, a girl who had almost fully transformed. It was a show of their own powers, I guess -- almost like a test to ensure they could murder people who stood in their way.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So Oh Yujin was just…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A casualty for their stupid greater good,” Myungjun fussed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you kept this from us?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t even learn about it until a few days ago!” Myungjun finished his task and set his rag aside. He slathered some medicine onto the wound before snatching up a roll of bandages. “And what was I supposed to do? If I couldn’t even tell you who I was being blackmailed by, how could I give you all of this insider information?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sanha, sensing a fight, piped up. He had been doing that anytime Dognmin’s nerves got the best of him. Despite being kidnapped and held hostage, Sanha still seemed determined to ensure they all remained friends.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’ll be alright,” he assured them. “Once we get out of this mess, we can point fingers at the witch and his team.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin glanced over at Myungjun, who stiffened a bit as he rewrapped the bullet wound.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Myungjun’s part of that team, isn’t he?” Dongmin wondered. “So, Myungjun -- any thoughts as to how the hell you’ll get out of this?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun’s jaw squared briefly. “I...I don’t know. But I’m willing to go to jail if it means my family remains safe. And I suppose I </span>
  <em>
    <span>will</span>
  </em>
  <span> go to jail. Even if I explain my reasoning, then it’ll just expose Jinwoo’s powers. I’m going to keep my mouth shut and accept any charges.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sanha made a noise of displeasure. He leaned forward from where he sat beside Dongmin and grabbed onto Myungjun’s arm. “You can’t do that!” he retorted. “It wasn’t your idea, and you didn’t want to go along with it!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve been aiding a murderer and a kidnapper,” Myungjun pointed out. “I can’t just walk away from this.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Though Dongmin had not yet forgiven Myungjun for his involvement, he felt pity stab into his heart. Myungjun hadn’t asked to be involved. Myungjun hadn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>wanted</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be involved. He was only trying to save his family from the clutches of an evil witch. He had been blackmailed and threatened and now he was stuck.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll figure it out,” Dongmin assured him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun nodded his head. “Right. Yeah. It’s fine as long as we all get out of here alive and well. I don’t care if I go to prison or...or whatever.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you go to prison, I’ve no doubt Jinwoo would break you out,” Dongmin mentioned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, he’s a big idiot, isn’t he?” It was clear Myungjin was making a joke, but the mood was too somber for that. They all sat in thought, wondering what the future would hold. Dongmin knew it was quite possible that Myungjun would be jailed for his crimes. And that was only if they managed to somehow defeat Youngwoong and his small army of magic users. So far, all appeared rather bleak.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll break you out, too,” Sanha promised, interrupting the tense silence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun smiled at Sanha. “Thanks,” he responded, and then looked over at Dongmin, as if expecting a similar admission from him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe I will,” Dongmin said. “And maybe I won’t. But, really, breaking people out of jail isn’t exactly my forte.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You planted drugs in order to catch criminals,” Myungjun pointed out. Dongmin blinked in shock; Myungjun wasn’t supposed to know that, was he? Had they told him of their early crime?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As if recognizing Dongmin’s confusion, Myungjun pointed at Sanha and said, “He told me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dammit, Sanha--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It was too big of a secret to keep to myself!” Sanha exclaimed, trying his best to defend his actions.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You already told Minhyuk, though! Why did you need to tell Myungjun, too?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because it came out one night during drinks. I really hadn’t--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before he could continue his explanation, the door opened. All three men looked up to see the witch. Behind him was Jinhwi, the necromancer, who kept a mysterious smile plastered onto his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You told,” the witch accused suddenly, glaring over at Myungjun. “You told them, didn’t you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun was confused, lost. He shook his head and asked, “What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You told your witch husband, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, he’s here, along with someone else. You </span>
  <em>
    <span>told</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and I gave you explicit instructions not to tell </span>
  <em>
    <span>anyone</span>
  </em>
  <span> what was going on, didn’t I? I told you I’d ruin your life if you told.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun said nothing. He looked surprised, however, and because he kept silent, Dongmin used the opportunity to dip into his mind, to read his thoughts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Why isn’t he hiding himself? Why did he come so brazenly? Why is my husband a fucking idiot?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So perhaps Myungjun </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> been working behind the scenes to orchestrate some sort of confrontation. After all, he had given Dongmin clues of his own with the </span>
  <em>
    <span>animal</span>
  </em>
  <span> line. He must’ve left something for Jinwoo to figure it all out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then Dongmin thought of the </span>
  <em>
    <span>someone else</span>
  </em>
  <span> who was supposedly with Jinwoo. He decided to use his powers on the witch, but he only caught a vague glimpse before he was barred from mind-reading.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I forgot we had a mind reader,” Youngwoong mused. “But you can’t read </span>
  <em>
    <span>my</span>
  </em>
  <span> mind, you know.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The one small image he was given from Youngwoong’s mind was enough, though. He knew who was with Jinwoo.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin had come to rescue him. Bin had come with Jinwoo. They were both putting themselves in danger to save the day. Myungjun’s thoughts made sense; why </span>
  <em>
    <span>hadn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> they hidden themselves better? Why were they running around in the open, in full view of security cameras? Didn’t Jinwoo have powers? Why couldn’t they turn invisible or something?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He couldn’t ponder on it any longer, though. Youngwoong seemed to be thinking of what to do next, and he glanced over at Jinhwi. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We don’t need </span>
  <em>
    <span>two</span>
  </em>
  <span> necromancers, do we?” he asked suddenly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun looked between them, confused. Jinhwi also looked a bit confused, and asked, “Huh?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We only need one necromancer. We already have you, and we’ll be getting another one soon--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait,” Myungjun blurted out, struggling to comprehend the cryptic statement. “I’m more powerful than Jinhwi is. What the hell are you--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your husband is a witch,” Youngwoong murmured. “It’ll be rather inconvenient if a witch strolls in here and sets ruin to what I’ve managed to do. But he won’t do that if you’re in the way.” He seemed rather satisfied with his sudden plan, and though no one else in the room seemed to understand, he still smiled. “I don’t have a shield, and I think you’ll be a good one. Your husband wouldn’t dare attack if you’re standing in front of me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun didn’t seem to grasp the situation yet. Neither did Sanha. But it clicked in Dongmin’s mind just what was about to happen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll fucking kill you if--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How?” the witch asked, his voice dripping with mockery. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He needn’t say anymore. Dongmin was already wounded. How </span>
  <em>
    <span>could</span>
  </em>
  <span> he face off against a dangerous witch when he could still barely move his arm and when he had no weapons and no powerful magic? All he could do was sit back and read minds, and that was good for nothing while on the defensive.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ll be useful, though I can only control one of you if I want to face off with another witch. Jinhwi, who should it be?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finally, </span>
  <em>
    <span>finally</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Myungjun understood. “After all I’ve done?” he growled. “After all I’ve done for you, you want to </span>
  <em>
    <span>use</span>
  </em>
  <span> me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve been using you this entire time,” Youngwoong pointed out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun bristled with indignation. “The deal was to perform necromancy. That was it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t think you get a say in what our deal is,” Youngwoong responded. Then, before Myungjun </span>
  <em>
    <span>could</span>
  </em>
  <span> get his own say, he murmured a few words and waved a finger.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin could see a spark of magic, a little white flame, and then Myungjun went rigid. Dongmin and Sanha could only watch in horror as Youngwoong gained control of their friend’s mind. Soon enough, Myungjun would be nothing more than a puppet for Youngwoong to manipulate and control.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin remembered the other witch he had faced off with before. She, too, had controlled people. He could remember the faces of the families who had lost their children due to a witch’s control. He could remember the testimony about those children. He could remember the pain they must have struggled with shortly before their demise.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And now Myungjun was under that same spell.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He stood, intent on fighting Youngwoong, but Sanha was the first to rush at the witch and barrel into him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stop it!” Sanha screeched, hitting and slapping. “Don’t--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sanha flew back suddenly, slamming into the wall with great force. Dongmin, torn between helping Myungjun and checking on Sanha, hesitated for a second or two before he ran toward the younger man, who was now on the floor, curled up on himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The witch sighed and stared at the scene. Dongmin could feel his apathetic eyes on them as he helped Sanha sit up and examined him for any broken limbs or a possible concussion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You,” the witch stated, pointing over at Dongmin. “Come with us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin glared at him. He couldn’t help the tremor in his hands, and he was unsure if such a movement was from fear or anger. Likely, he decided, from both.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” he snapped. “After what you did to Sanha?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll do it again if you don’t come,” said Youngwoong, holding up his hands.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin knew better than to test this witch. He had already proven what he was capable of. If Dongmin made him angrier, he might go so far as to kill one of them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Self-preservation first, then. Dongmin checked on Sanha one last time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you alright?” he whispered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kinda. Just...sorta in pain.” He checked over his own arms for bruises, then looked up at Youngwoong. “Are you going?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have to.” Dongmin took a deep breath and ruffled Sanha’s hair. Then, with steely determination, he strode over to the group of magic users. He spared Myungjun a quick glance and grit down his teeth. His friend was the shell of his former self, a puppet for Youngwoong to control. His eyes stared straight ahead, blank and unfeeling, and his body remained rigid as he awaited orders.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was given orders. Youngwoong produced a gun, which he placed securely into Myungjun’s hands.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ll fight to protect me,” Youngwoong explained to Myungjun, who held the gun as if he was an expert. But Dongmin knew that Myungjun had never really touched a gun. He left the weaponry to his husband, and he remained in the background, brushing his fingers over plants and animals and his darling, lovely children.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shoot the intruders, alright?” Youngwoong added.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin’s eyes widened. “You can’t--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright,” Myungjun responded, nodding his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oh, god. This was worse than the last time Dongmin had witnessed a witch’s controlling powers. This was far, far worse. He would have to watch Myungjun kill his own husband, then Myungjun would kill Bin, and then--</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then what? What would happen to Myungjun? He would be too distraught, too full of guilt to return home. What about his children? What about his parents?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll tell them to leave,” Dongmin breathed out, his heart racing with panic. “We don’t have to shoot them. Please, ju-just let me go out there and tell them--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not going to fuck around with a witch,” Youngwoong snapped. “Besides, if I can control </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he might be useful to have on my team. And if I can’t control him, then I’ll kill him. Myungjun should’ve known better than to inform him of my plans.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But…” Dongmin struggled to find some way to stop all of this. He couldn’t let it continue. He couldn’t let Myungjun fight Jinwoo, and he couldn’t let Jinwoo become controlled and pushed around by a much more powerful witch. But what was </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> to do? He was merely a mind reader, someone with very little magical powers to begin with. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All he could do was persuade. And he hoped it would work.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jinwoo is a police detective. If he goes missing, then you’ll have the entire department on your ass. They’ll all soon know where you’re hiding and what you’re doing. They won’t hesitate to storm this shelter and kill you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Perhaps,” the witch murmured, but he didn’t appear too convinced. “But if it comes down to </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span>, then it’s easy enough to flee. It’s not as if I haven’t run before. One thing you’ll learn about witches; we know exactly how to escape our problems.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then, without a chance to respond to such a statement, Dongmin was pulled by his good arm down the hallway. He struggled slightly until Youngwoong jostled him into a wall. His wound slammed into the concrete and he grit his teeth down and held his breath for a few seconds.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His only other hope to stop the battle, then, would be Myungjun.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun, who walked alongside Youngwoong, his gun still encased in gentle, tender hands, hands made for </span>
  <em>
    <span>life</span>
  </em>
  <span> and not for death.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Myungjun,” he begged, praying his friend would recognize his voice. “Please, </span>
  <em>
    <span>please</span>
  </em>
  <span> don’t do this.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He can’t hear you,” Jinhwi murmured, glancing back at them as he led the way. “He’s completely under Youngwoong’s spell.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So he was. He didn’t make even the slightest acknowledgement in Dongmin’s direction. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Though Dongmin was weak and his powers were faltering, he still took the chance to probe into Myungjun’s mind, to discover just what it was he was thinking. He closed his eyes, letting himself be dragged, and tried to uncover the thoughts they lay under Youngwoong’s command.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>If Jinwoo shoots, I’ll kill him</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was Youngwoong. There had to be something else there, though, and Dongmin tried harder, pushing his powers to the absolute limit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He peeled back layers of thought, layers of magical shields, and finally found his best friend buried deep in Youngwoong’s control.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no</span>
  </em>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was desperate, a plea for help. Somehow, Myungjun was barely still conscious. He was going to watch this all go down in the deep recesses of his mind. He wouldn’t be fully aware, but he was fighting the magic.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin recalled the young boy who was killed by a witch nine years prior. He, too, fought against the control, and though it took his life, he was cognizant of the magic spell. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Help</span>
  </em>
  <span>, the young boy had begged his mother as he killed himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun would be in the same position. Under great duress and stress, he would fight back. His mind would be muddled with confusion, but if he killed Jinwoo, then he would know.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And if he killed Bin, even under such a spell, could Dongmin ever forgive him?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Youngwoong shook his arm and Dongmin was quick to open his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stop doing that,” Youngwoong scolded, looking more frustrated than angry. “You can’t waste all of your powers now. I need you still.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin blinked. He thought he was just going to be some sort of shield, a protective barrier so Youngwoong would not be shot. He had no clue he was supposed to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>helping</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I won’t do it,” he refused, shaking his head adamantly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You could just control him,” Jinhwi mentioned, once more looking back. “I’ve seen you control two people at the same time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, but I’ve never controlled someone who will kill their own husband.” Youngwoong had the </span>
  <em>
    <span>gall</span>
  </em>
  <span> to laugh. “Myungjun’s fighting me, that’s for sure, and now the mind reader knows it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin wanted to lash out with all of his might. He wanted to punch and kick and spit on Youngwoong. He had never wanted to kill anyone this badly before, but, by god, he wanted to </span>
  <em>
    <span>murder</span>
  </em>
  <span> Youngwoong.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re a fucking bastard,” he choked out, shaking with rage. “You don’t even </span>
  <em>
    <span>care</span>
  </em>
  <span> how you’re hurting us? We’re magic users, too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Magic users who are standing in my way,” Youngwoong pointed out. “Besides, I promise it’s all for the best. Once I win, then magic users will be accepted into society. Young witches and necromancers and mind readers will never again have to worry about living miserable lives. If I kill a few of you in the process, just...remember that you are a martyr for the cause.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A martyr </span>
  <em>
    <span>cares</span>
  </em>
  <span> about the cause,” Dongmin spat. “I don’t give a shit what happens to you or your fucking posse of magic users.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Youngwoong stopped at the entrance door. He smiled, still rather calm for a man intent on murdering a bunch of innocent people, and then shrugged his shoulders. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine,” he said. “Don’t be a martyr.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then he opened the door.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hit me up on my twitter page <a href="https://twitter.com/thevonseal">@vonseal</a> for spoilers and general nonsense.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>:O</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Bin gave a start when the door just in front of him opened. He hadn’t expected it to; they had yet to see anything truly amiss, and after having scoped out the exterior of the building, they were just discussing how to best make it inside.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So the doors opening was a shock.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even more shocking, though, were the men who filed outside. Two of them were unfamiliar to Bin, but with the strangers were Dongmin and Myungjun.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin took a deep breath upon seeing his boyfriend. Dongmin didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>look</span>
  </em>
  <span> great. It was clear something was wrong with his arm, for the fabric of his shirt was bloodied and torn, and he kept his arm plastered close to his body. He looked upset, too, and he gazed upon Bin with fear and anguish.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He </span>
  <em>
    <span>gazed</span>
  </em>
  <span> at Bin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin glanced over at Jinwoo, and whispered, “Aren’t we invisible?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo nodded slowly, but then seemed to remember something.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shit,” Jinwoo murmured, and Bin understood the issue.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was immune to magic. He couldn’t become invisible because he was immune, thus Jinwoo’s spell didn’t work after all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>God, they were such morons.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin then glanced above the doorway, at the CCTV cameras outlining the building. They must have been caught the moment they stepped in view of the animal shelter. They had been running around like idiots and had so willingly given away their arrival without a single thought. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Frustrated with the situation, Bin looked back at Dongmin, and then over at the other two men.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Jinwoo had eyes only for Myungjun.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jinwoo,” one of the strange men greeted, a smile growing on his face. “I knew I’d meet you </span>
  <em>
    <span>some</span>
  </em>
  <span>day, but I hadn’t expected it to be so soon. Myungjun must have found a way to tattle on me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin then spared Myungjun a glance and was surprised to notice a gun in his hands. Myungjun had never quite liked weapons. In fact, had he ever learned how to shoot a gun? Why was he holding a weapon? And why did he stare through Jinwoo as if they didn’t know each other?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took him a few seconds to understand, however, and his eyes widened just as Jinwoo exclaimed, “You’re controlling my husband?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Intuitive,” the witch murmured. “But, yes, as a safety precaution. I’ve no doubt you’re a weaker witch, but I think you could cause me some issue.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were using Myungjun against them. Were they using Dongmin, as well? Bin looked at his boyfriend, hardly daring to breathe, and asked, “Is </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> under a spell, too?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, but think of him as another safety precaution,” the witch teased.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin averted his eyes, his jaw set and his stance tense.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you want from us?” Jinwoo asked, his voice wavering slightly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think the question is what do </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> want from </span>
  <em>
    <span>us</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” the witch countered. “You’re the ones who came here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We came to get our friends back,” Bin snarled. “You’ve taken Sanha hostage, and now you’ve taken Dongmin and Myungjun hostage.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The witch laughed and gave Myungjun’s shoulder a small pat, which Myungjun didn’t even acknowledge. “Myungjun came to me,” he pointed out. “Dongmin came to Myungjun. But, okay, I did take Sanha hostage. However, his powers are important. Just think, if enough magic users aid the cause, we will no longer have to live in fear. You’d like that, Jinwoo, wouldn’t you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo’s hand was on his gun, which still remained at his side. He did not yet take it out of the holster, but in the dim, outdoor lighting, Bin could see his fingers move. He wanted to draw his gun. He wanted to kill the witch. Bin didn’t blame him in the slightest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’d like it better if my husband was back at home with me, and if Sanha was with </span>
  <em>
    <span>his</span>
  </em>
  <span> boyfriend, and if Dongmin was here, too. You won’t get anywhere by controlling other magic users under the guise of saving us. You’ll ruin us this way.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure. Maybe,” the witch conceded. “But in the end, we might gain justice. Sometimes we have to do bad things for the good of our own kind, don’t you think?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t think that,” Jinwoo replied. “I think you’re insane. I think you deserve to be locked up and imprisoned forever.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The witch shrugged his shoulders, brushing off Jinwoo’s words. He didn’t seem too upset, but Bin noticed the smallest tug at the corner of his lips. Either he had random tremors, or he was doing his best to hide an anger that was brewing inside.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think,” the witch started, “that it’d be easier if you were to simply help me out. Two witches will be much better than one. You’re the head detective, too, and you can help pressure the police force to change their ways. We’ll start there and slowly work our way up. First is the local government, and once we gather enough support, we’ll take on the president.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was then that Jinwoo took out his gun and aimed it at the witch. He shook his head, rejecting all offers of unity. “You can’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>force</span>
  </em>
  <span> people to accept you,” he retorted. “I’m sure both of us have tried doing that and have discovered miserable results.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In response to Jinwoo’s movement, Myungjun, too, raised his gun and aimed it at his husband.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo faltered. He blinked rapidly, both confused and unsure, and stammered out, “Do-Don’t make Myungjun do this, please.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And let you shoot me?” The witch scoffed, then glanced over at Dongmin. “Tell me what that one is thinking,” he said, pointing over to Bin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin looked straight at Bin, and Bin returned his gaze.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There would be no poking or prodding of his mind. Bin was immune to Dongmin’s magic; he always had been, and he always would be. He knew Dongmin could never discern any of his thoughts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Despite that, though, Dongmin still spoke.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s going to shoot Myungjun, if need be, to get to you,” Dongmin fibbed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If Dongmin lied, if Dongmin fed the witch false information, then it would be easier to defeat him. He would be none the wiser as to Bin’s true plans.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Which, unfortunately, Bin had not yet had a chance to devise.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He knew he had to think fast. Myungjun’s gun was still trained on Jinwoo, ready to shoot at a moment’s notice. Jinwoo would never shoot if it put any of them in danger. Bin knew better than to </span>
  <em>
    <span>try</span>
  </em>
  <span> and shoot if Dongmin was going to be used as some sort of shield.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But how the hell was he supposed to outsmart a witch?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He glanced at the man standing close to Dongmin. He wasn’t a witch, was he? He had his own gun, in any case, but he clearly was not the ringleader. The witch had already implied that Jinwoo would be the </span>
  <em>
    <span>second</span>
  </em>
  <span> witch if he joined, which meant the other man was not a witch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The non-witch had a gun.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The witch did not have a gun.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin could not be harmed by spells or powers, but he </span>
  <em>
    <span>could</span>
  </em>
  <span> be harmed by guns. Therefore, he knew he had to take out the armed man first before he could focus his full attention onto the witch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The witch chuckled and forced Myungjun to train his weapon onto Bin. If he made one wrong move, he’d be killed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But if Jinwoo could follow in his steps, and if Dongmin could understand what he was about to do, then things would be easier.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were smart. He knew they could keep up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So he yanked out his own gun and aimed it at the man just behind Dongmin. Sure enough, Dongmin, involved already in a great number of life-threatening situations, was quick to drop to the ground. Bin took the opportunity and shot the man in the chest. Just as he did so, he heard another gunshot ring out, but Jinwoo, also trained and honed for quick movements and deadly scenarios, managed to put up some sort of shield a few feet in front of Bin, thus blocking what appeared to be Myungjun’s attack.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The armed man fell backwards. He groaned but did not get up, and no one appeared to be willing to help him as he writhed in pain.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The witch’s eyes widened and he glanced over at Dongmin, who was struggling again to his feet. It seemed he realized he had been duped, and he opened his mouth.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin wasn’t sure if the witch would utter some spells or do something else in order to retaliate, but he wasn’t willing to find out. He trained his gun on the witch and snapped, “Don’t you say another fucking word, or I’ll shoot.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The witch turned his gaze to Bin, hatred shining through his hardened gaze.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We can call an ambulance for him,” Bin promised, “but you </span>
  <em>
    <span>must</span>
  </em>
  <span> release Myungjun and Dongmin and Sanha, and you </span>
  <em>
    <span>must</span>
  </em>
  <span> give yourself up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If he dies, I can still bring him back to life,” the witch pointed out. That was true; he did still have Myungjun under his control.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin had to be smarter. Bin had to be wittier. Bin had to plan things out quickly and flawlessly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re using Myungjun as a shield. He could get shot, too, and he could die. Then what? You’ll have no necromancers left to bring back your army. Is that what you want?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun shot again. And, again, Jinwoo put up a shield and blocked the bullet from ever reaching Bin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The witch regarded Bin curiously for a few seconds before he raised his eyebrows and had Myungjun face Jinwoo, instead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shoot him, then,” the witch prompted. “Go on; kill Myungjun.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was then that Jinwoo faltered for a second time. “Don’t,” he whispered, shaking his head. “Bin, please don’t shoot him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The witch smiled and Bin knew his bluff had been caught. They wouldn’t kill Myungjun to get to the witch. Bin would never stoop so low as to willingly murder a friend in order to gain the upperhand. He wouldn’t ever put any of his friends through that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Still, he tightened his grip on his gun and shot at the witch. The witch put up a shield of his own and the bullet was stopped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In the witch’s moment of weakness, Jinwoo struck. He said a quick spell and flicked his wrist and sent his own powers hurling toward the witch. The witch gave a jolt when he had been hit, but then was efficient in putting a stop to the spell before it could truly harm him. Only a bit of blood seeped through his shirt, and he clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your powers have to be stronger than that if you want to cause anything than a tiny cut,” he mocked Jinwoo, patting his chest to prove the pain wasn’t at all great. “However, you </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span> becoming a nuisance, so--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun shot at Jinwoo. Jinwoo blocked it. Again and again, though, Myungjun’s attack continued, and through it all, Bin did his best to shoot back at the witch. But all of Myungjun’s gunshots were blocked, and all of Bin’s gunshots were blocked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a standstill.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The witch seemed to grow tired of it, though, and finally shoved Myungjun forward, casting him closer to Jinwoo. Jinwoo took a step back and took a deep breath.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Myungjun,” he whispered, “come on, push him out of your mind.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And Dongmin, who had been watching the entire ordeal with wide eyes, exclaimed, “He’s trying, Jinwoo! If your powers can help, then you should use them now!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The witch frowned and grasped angrily at Dongmin’s arm. He twisted it, and Dongmin cried out in pain. It was his wounded arm, Bin realized, and Bin was quick to shoot again at the witch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His attack was blocked once more, but then there was another burst of power. The witch, sensing that Jinwoo would pull Myungjun from his control, blasted Jinwoo backwards. Jinwoo flew through the air for a second and fell onto his back. Before he could stand, though, before he could shield himself, Myungjun shot.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This time, the bullet hit its intended target, and Jinwoo gasped out in pain as blood seeped from the fresh wound in his stomach.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At the very least, it brought Myungjun out of the witch’s control. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Great emotional duress</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Bin recalled from the last time he had seen a witch control someone else. Great emotional duress had brought the people out of the control. And Myungjun, having now shot and wounded his husband, could finally pull free.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He screamed as he rushed forward. He knelt by Jinwoo, tears streaming from his face, and cradled Jinwoo’s head in his lap, ushering forth sobbed apologies and desperate pleas.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin couldn’t focus on them, though. Not now. Jinwoo needed help, and the fastest way to </span>
  <em>
    <span>get</span>
  </em>
  <span> that help would be to kill the damn witch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He no longer had the threat of Myungjun’s gun, at least. He could stride toward the witch with little worry.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And that was exactly what he did.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He took long, meaningful steps, his gun still up and ready, and he yelled, “Get down on the fucking ground, or I’ll kill you!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The witch scoffed and sent a burst of power in his direction.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nothing happened.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The witch tried again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nothing happened.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Only when Bin was a few feet in front of the witch did he sense recognition lighting up in those disgusting eyes, and the witch gasped out, “You’re immune.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin punched him as hard as he possibly could. The witch stumbled, and Bin was quick to grab his arm and twist it hard. He managed to push the witch to the ground, straddling his back, and he put his gun to the witch’s head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can’t shield this, bastard,” he snapped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The witch looked up at him and for once there was evidence of fear in his gaze. “You wouldn’t kill me,” the witch gasped out. “You don’t have the balls to do it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin didn’t say anything else; he shot. There was a bloody splatter and the witch was silent.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was dead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin stood up on shaky legs, hardly daring to believe that was the end. He looked over at Dongmin, who rushed over to him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, god, Bin,” Dongmin whispered, “Are you alright?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin nodded his head. “Fine. I’m fine. Are you?” He knew Dongmin’s arm was in great pain, so he didn’t even wait for a response. Instead, he took out his phone and passed it to his boyfriend. “Call the police,” he ordered. He planted a quick kiss onto Dongmin’s cheek and added, “And an ambulance. Hurry, please.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin knew the situation was dire, and he obeyed the orders with no hesitation. While he called, Bin turned to check on Jinwoo.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo was still conscious, at least. He was breathing deeply and he stared up at Myungjun, who was offering blubbering apologies that made little coherent sense.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At least Myungjun had a hand over the bloodied wound and was pushing down. At least he understood enough to do that much.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re getting medical help,” Bin assured them, though his own heart raced as he wondered whether or not Jinwoo would survive the ordeal. If he didn’t, at least Myungjun would be able to bring him back to life, but it would be a painful death, regardless, and it would be completely unnecessary. Bin would rather not his best friends be traumatized, and he prayed that the ambulance would arrive fast enough.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t mean to!” Myungjun blurted out, his tears dripping down onto his hands, mixing in with the blood seeping around his fingers. “I tried not to! Bu-But this is all my fault! Oh, god, I-I’m so sorry, Jinwoo!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jinwoo grit his teeth down and moaned in pain. He didn’t respond, and Bin figured he wasn’t likely to respond. The intense pain would make it difficult for him to talk, and his body might be putting him into a state of shock.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin replied to Myungjun’s apologies, instead, doing his best to remain calm, though he felt horror grip him as he wondered whether or not he would have to watch one of his best friends die.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You were under his control. Of course you didn’t mean--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But I-I wasn’t u-under his control before!” Myungjun explained, though his words made little sense. He stammered out a few more nonsensical things, and all Bin could really discern was that something about his family made him join forces with the witch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Was it blackmail? It had to be blackmail. Bin believed that Myungjun would only help a murderer if he was blackmailed into it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At the very least, he had been forced to fight them against his own free will. It hadn’t been his fault.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There were footsteps behind him and Bin glanced up. Dongmin was now joined by Sanha, who looked shocked and frightened at the scene.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ambulance and police are on the way,” Dongmin said, a little breathless and wide-eyed. “I let Sanha out of the room he was in, too. Myungjun, it’ll be alright.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Myungjun wasn’t listening. He had bowed his head and was muttering words of encouragement for Jinwoo.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin knelt by Bin’s side and reached for his hand, offering it a small squeeze, a wordless comfort in a time of great chaos and distress. Bin accepted it with a strained smile as he stared at Jinwoo’s broken and bleeding body.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Dongmin whispered. His words quivered along with his lips and Bin hoped he wouldn’t cry. Not now. Not yet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He closed his eyes briefly, trying to stop his own tears. Everything had happened so fast, and he couldn’t bear it if his actions had inadvertently caused Jinwoo’s demise. Perhaps if he was smarter, or quicker, things wouldn’t have turned out this way. Perhaps if he had done a dozen things differently, Jinwoo wouldn’t have been shot. Perhaps, perhaps perhaps--</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At the very least, he heard sirens in the distance.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hit me up on my twitter page <a href="https://twitter.com/thevonseal">@vonseal</a> for spoilers and general nonsense.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>this is like maybe the second to last chapter!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Dongmin frowned as he stared at his arm, currently held up in a sling. He must have done something terrible in his past life to deserve not one but </span>
  <em>
    <span>two</span>
  </em>
  <span> bullet wounds in his arm. And, sure, it had been nine years since the first, but how many others could say that they had been shot </span>
  <em>
    <span>twice</span>
  </em>
  <span> in the arm in a single lifetime?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He told as much to Bin, who merely chuckled at him and looked up from his phone with tired eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe it just means you’re lucky.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s what Myungjun said, but I don’t know how getting </span>
  <em>
    <span>shot</span>
  </em>
  <span> is lucky.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin shrugged his shoulders and returned to his phone. He had been texting and calling a great multitude of people, doing his best to keep up with the police work for both departments. He was always so hardworking, and Dongmin smiled at him, reaching over with his good arm to squeeze his leg.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> Myungjun, anyway?” Dongmin asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Upset. Sanha’s been comforting him, though I might have to be on comforting duty in a bit. Minhyuk will be bringing the kids down shortly.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They had arrived at the hospital and from then on, things had been a blur. Dongmin was separated from his friends so the doctors could take out the bullet and look over his arm for any possible infections. While he had been given an all-clear, he was still stuck in the hospital bed until someone came to discharge him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Most of the doctors on the floor were busy with saving Jinwoo’s life, though. He was still in critical condition and visitors were not allowed until he was done with surgery.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Since then, Myungjun had been seated in the waiting room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you think he’s ready to see his kids just yet?” Dongmin wondered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If he isn’t, I’ll watch them, or ask one of Jinwoo’s coworkers to watch them. But Minhyuk won’t stay at the house for another second. He’s been calling me nonstop to speak with Sanha, and I’m unable to get any work done.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That did sound a lot like Minhyuk, and Dongmin sighed as he leaned against his pillows. “He really wanted to come and join the fight,” he mentioned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin nodded his head. “He would’ve done a lot more harm than good, though. He has no powers, and he has no weapons. Besides, I couldn’t leave the kids alone; Jinwoo and Myungjun would murder me if I ever did that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin swallowed thickly, hoping, </span>
  <em>
    <span>praying</span>
  </em>
  <span>, that Jinwoo would survive the ordeal so he could see his children again. Of course, if he didn’t survive, Dongmin and Bin </span>
  <em>
    <span>might</span>
  </em>
  <span> be able to pull some strings so Myungjun could revive him, but it would be insanely difficult and Dongmin knew it would also be traumatic for Myungjun to see his lover in such a state for a second time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was traumatic enough as it was. No need to make it more so.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin was thankful that he only had to wait a few minutes longer before a doctor finally entered the room, discharge papers in hand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin was quick to scramble up from his seat and ask, “Have you heard if Jinwoo’s doing alright?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The doctor, already having grown familiar with Bin and the rest of his crew, smiled politely and passed the papers over to Dongmin. “I think he’s doing well,” he responded. “In any case, his surgery is winding down and one of the doctors who came out said that he’s stable.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin sighed in relief and Dongmin closed his eyes briefly, relishing in such good news. As long as Jinwoo remained stable, then he would soon be transferred into another room and Myungjun could rest easy knowing he </span>
  <em>
    <span>hadn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> caused his husband’s death.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have to say, you are all insanely lucky to have fought with a witch and survived,” the doctor continued, and Dongmin opened his eyes again, shaky hands flipping through the papers and unfocused eyes scanning a blur of words. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin laughed nervously and glanced over at Dongmin, who refused to meet his gaze. “Yeah, well,” Bin murmured. “We had experience.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin let Bin talk to the doctor for a bit more as he signed the papers. Then, he had to listen to the orders from his doctor; what he should and should not do with his arm, how soon he could return for a check-up, possible leave of duty -- it all went over his head, really, as he could only concentrate on the physical and mental state of his friends.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once the doctor left, Bin helped Dongmin stand from the bed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well,” Bin said, trying his best to sound cheerful, “should we go tell Myungjun the good news?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think that’d be best,” Dongmin agreed. “How goes the police investigation?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin led Dongmin out of his hospital room and waved politely to the nurses nearby. “They’ve stormed the shelter in order to find more evidence, or any possible traps. The witch’s body is about to be burned, as per protocol, and the necromancer is not expected to survive. I think he’s been given emergency medical treatment, but you know how the doctors treat magic users.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin sighed and nodded his head, though he couldn’t find too much compassion or sympathy for the necromancer who had helped force Myungjun into such an awful and precarious situation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin continued, “I’ve asked them to hold off on taking Myungjun into custody, but they’ll arrest him once he’s been given the chance to see Jinwoo. I’ve already been talking to a lawyer, though, and we both believe Myungjun will be fine. He was threatened by a </span>
  <em>
    <span>witch</span>
  </em>
  <span>, after all, and so I think he won’t be charged with anything. The lawyer is really good, too. She’s fully convinced Myungjun is innocent.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ve been working hard since we got to the hospital,” Dongmin muttered, feeling quite useless. He had been captured and shot, and thus had little to do with either the investigation or the aftermath.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s the price of being a chief,” Bin responded, smiling over at Dongmin. He seemed to recognize the expression that had overcome Dongmin’s face, though, and he was quick to swoop in with a kiss. “Hey, don’t look so guilty. This is my </span>
  <em>
    <span>job</span>
  </em>
  <span>. You hunt down the criminals and I make sure things run smoothly behind the scenes. It’s what I like doing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know,” Dongmin mumbled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin grabbed onto his good hand and kissed that, too, before leading Dongmin further down the hallway. “Besides, I need </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> to write a report, you know. You’re not free of work just because you’re injured.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin couldn’t help but smirk at that, and he swung their hands back and forth. “Jack-ass,” he insulted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aw, babe, don’t degrade me just yet; you know I only like insults in bed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“God, you’re gross.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you love me anyway.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I do,” Dongmin admitted, and he moved closer to Bin, plastering himself against his boyfriend. “I love you so, so much. I was so happy you figured it all out and came to rescue me. I mean, I was worried, but I was glad you killed that witch.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin stopped just before they reached the doors to the waiting room. He planted a kiss onto Dongmin’s forehead and murmured against the skin, “I’d kill a thousand witches for you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin cleared his throat, touched with Bin’s gentle behavior. “Well,” he croaked out, “two down, nine hundred and ninety-eight more to go.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a giggle and a nod, Bin led them past the automatic doors and right to Myungjun and Sanha.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sanha glanced up at them as they stepped into the room. His eyes were wide and inquisitive, and he stood from his seat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you alright?” he asked Dongmin, wincing when he noticed the sling. “Does it hurt?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not too much,” Dongmin said. “Plus, they gave me painkillers. It’s fine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sanha nodded his head, a bit frantic, then asked the question they all had been awaiting. “Is Jinwoo alright?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun did look up at that. His eyes were red-rimmed and his face was blotchy. Though he had scrubbed his hands clean of Jinwoo’s blood, his shirt was still soaked and splattered with the substance. Dongmin grimaced at the state his friend was in, then looked at Bin to answer the question.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin smiled at Myungjun and responded, “Jinwoo’s stable. They’re just making sure his condition doesn’t change, but he should soon be ready to move into another room.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun’s chin quivered. He looked down at his lap and quietly murmured out, “That’s good.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin knew they would soon have to explain about his upcoming arrest and the lawyer they would need to hire. He opened his mouth to do just that, but Bin nudged him and was quick to shake his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Not now</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Bin mouthed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin was right. They needed to let Myungjun focus on one thing at a time. Besides, based on what he had said when they were all captives, he was well-aware that he would be forced to follow police to the prison. He probably believed he would serve jail time for his role, but Dongmin knew they would be able to get him off without much issue.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anyway,” Bin said, changing the subject, “it’ll be a little bit, so I’m going out to smoke and wait on Minhyuk.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Minhyuk’s coming?” Sanha asked, his eyes brightening. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yup! He’s bringing your kids, Myungjun. Do you want me to watch them until--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes,” Myungjun choked out, running his fingers through his messy hair. “Please.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin nodded his head. Dongmin knew he was likely overwhelmed, but he wouldn’t be Bin if he didn’t try to fix things and mend the broken hearts of his best friends. Bin was such a kind soul, and Dongmin squeezed his hand lightly, pride and joy filling his heart as he recognized just how lucky he had been.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin smiled at him, but then asked Sanha, “Wanna come outside with me? We can meet Minhyuk out there.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sanha looked torn. He glanced between Myungjun and Bin, likely weighing out his options, before settling into his seat once again. “I can wait in here,” he replied, and then wordlessly gestured at Myungjun’s slumped, defeated body.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Right. He was a source of comfort for Myungjun. He likely would be beside himself if he left Myungjun alone. They had stuck together throughout the kidnapping; Myungjun had done his best for Sanha, and in return, Sanha was doing his best for him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So Bin and Dongmin left the two of them to continue their silent vigil. They stepped outside, a small breeze brushing past them, and then stood against the brick building. Bin lit a cigarette and smoked it lazily, staring across the parking lot as he waited for Minhyuk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All was silent for a little bit. Dongmin closed his eyes as he allowed himself to meld into such stillness. He had not felt so calm, so peaceful, in days, and he wanted to cherish the moment for as long as he was able. He knew soon he would be swept up in the hustle and bustle of police life. He would have to help Bin close the case and he would have to work with the prosecutors in order to incriminate a few other magic users who had close ties to the witch. He would have to work with Myungjun’s lawyer, too, to ensure his friend didn’t face any prison time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve got someone working on erasing CCTV footage,” Bin suddenly mentioned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin opened his eyes. “Oh?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Chief Choi sent one of his guys down here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He runs quite a strange operation,” Dongmin commented. “How many connections does he have?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Too many,” Bin laughed. “But I appreciate the help. I was too busy to even think about the CCTV cameras. When I relayed the story to him and assured him you were safe, he reminded me. If we leave them, they’ll incriminate Jinwoo.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was true. Jinwoo had to hide his status from the police force, and erasing all of that footage would be the best thing to do.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Won’t they ask about it?” Dongmin wondered. “If the footage is erased, then--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll just say the witch did it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Smart.” Dongmin shot Bin a smile. “You’ve thought of everything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin smirked and stubbed out his cigarette on the brick wall behind him. He leaned forward and kissed Dongmin lightly. He tasted of nicotine and spearmint gum, and Dongmin melted into such a familiar flavor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>However, they were interrupted within a few seconds. Minhyuk, calling out their names, rushed forward. He held onto Soojin and dragged a sleepy Woojin along behind him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where’s Sanha?” he asked, not bothering to learn anything else.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin sighed, breaking apart from Dongmin’s lips. “He’s inside.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With nary another word, Minhyuk shoved Soojin into Bin’s arms, planted Woojin by Dongmin’s side, and rushed into the hospital.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin blinked. How fast. Of course, he couldn’t necessarily blame Minhyuk; he had been at home for the entire showdown and had been worried sick about all of them, most of all Sanha. And he hadn’t even seen Sanha in days. It was obvious he would want to meet him as soon as possible.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Woojin leaned into Dongmin’s leg and groggily muttered, “Where’s Dad?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s, um…” Dongmin cleared his throat, unsure of how to best explain Jinwoo’s condition and Myungjun’s involvement. Could children even understand such mature subjects? Dongmin had always been able to, but, then again, Dongmin’s childhood had been anything but average.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fortunately, Bin -- who had a completely average childhood -- smiled brightly at Woojin. “Dad’s taking care of your Daddy. He got a boo-boo, so your Dad’s making sure he’s alright.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Woojin nodded his head. He yawned, mouth opening widely, and Dongmin felt pity for the poor boy. Minhyuk must have taken him from his bed with no explanation. He must be exhausted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why don’t we go inside and see if there’s anywhere for them to sleep?” Dongmin asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin nodded his head and shifted Soojin into one arm. With his free hand, he herded Woojin back into the hospital, and Dongmin followed behind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The waiting room was void of Myungjun. Only Sanha and Minhyuk stood there, holding each other in a tight embrace. Sanha appeared to be crying, if the shaking of his shoulders was any indication, and Minhyuk was whispering words they could not hear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin was quick to turn Woojin away from that scene, likely to avoid any other questions.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s go sit down over here,” Bin urged Woojin. “You can sleep and I’ll get a blanket for you, alright?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Woojin followed instructions, and after he and Soojin were both settled onto hospital chairs, curled up together and falling back asleep, Bin turned to Sanha and Minhyuk and poked Minhyuk’s shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Minhyuk drew back, clearing his throat and keeping his eyes lowered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey,” Bin greeted, smiling up at Sanha, whose eyes were filled with tears. “Is Jinwoo--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s in a room,” Sanha confirmed. “Myungjun went to go see him, but one of the policemen had to go with him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Right. They were planning on taking Myungjun into custody. Dongmin ran his fingers through his messy hair. “What are we supposed to do about the kids?” he inquired.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Minhyuk can keep watching them,” Bin answered, but when Minhyuk glared at him, he laughed nervously. “Maybe not. Is there anyone else--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve sent Myungjun’s parents a text,” Minhyuk said. “They live far, but they’ll wake up in a few hours and be on the way, probably. Should be here before tomorrow afternoon - or is it this afternoon? It’s early, so--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So we have to watch the kids until then,” Dongmin sighed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not so bad! They’ll probably sleep half the time since Minhyuk’s worn them out,” Bin joked. “And I can get one of the officers to watch them for us if need be, probably. Jinwoo trusts his men.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin pursed his lips. “Speaking of,” he murmured, “can more than one person visit him right now?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sanha rubbed at his eyes and confirmed, “Yeah. Th-They asked if I wanted to, but I was waiting for Minhyuk.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once again, Minhyuk hugged him, rubbing a comforting hand up and down his back and planting a few kisses onto the side of his head. Dongmin offered them both a smile before turning to Bin and raising his eyebrows.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Would you like to come see Jinwoo with me?” he asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not right now,” Bin responded. “I still have some stuff to do out here. I have to watch the kids, in any case. Once you’re done, though, I’ll pop in to see how he is.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Already Bin had pulled out his cell phone and had meandered his way over to the sleeping children. Dongmin sighed, unsure how he was supposed to face Myungjun alone. Myungjun was a mess as it was, and he was likely to be crying even more. How on earth could Dongmin even </span>
  <em>
    <span>try</span>
  </em>
  <span> to comfort him?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He studied Minhyuk’s movements for a few seconds, the way his hand rubbed across Sanha’s back, the whispered words of love and encouragement that fell from his lips, before he realized he could do none of that with Myungjun. They weren’t in love; they were only friends.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With that in mind, Dongmin inquired about Jinwoo’s room number, then followed Sanha’s instructions.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He peeked through the door first, trying his best to gauge the situation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>From his vantage point just beyond the door, he could see Myungjun, slumped over in his chair and gripping tightly onto Jinwoo’s hands. Jinwoo was not awake, and he was hooked up to many machines, but he seemed alive and </span>
  <em>
    <span>stable</span>
  </em>
  <span>, at the very least.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin slid inside the room, trying his best to be silent, but the closing door still alerted Myungjun to his presence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey,” Myungjun greeted, not moving from his position.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello,” Dongmin replied. Dongmin bowed his head lightly to the police officer, who stood off to the side as he kept a silent vigil.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun sniffed, then said, “Bin apparently managed to work it out so they wouldn’t take me into custody until Jinwoo wakes up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s nice--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But only if he wakes up within the next two hours.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh.” Dongmin peered over at Jinwoo. He looked peaceful enough while he slept, as if he would wake up at any second. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But that’s fine,” Myungjun murmured, stroking Jinwoo’s hand. “I’ll go with them. I mean...I...I did this--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You were under a spell,” Dongmin fussed. “You didn’t do anything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun didn’t answer that. He merely sighed and dipped his head again, blinking back tears.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And Dongmin took the plunge and put a comforting hand onto Myungjun’s back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could do this much, at the very least, and as his friend cried, he realized that perhaps just </span>
  <em>
    <span>being</span>
  </em>
  <span> there was the best thing he could do.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hit me up on my twitter page <a href="https://twitter.com/thevonseal">@vonseal</a> for spoilers and general nonsense.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>are things looking up for our boys?</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“He’s awake,” was the first thing Bin heard when he answered the call on his cell phone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He breathed a sigh of relief. It had been two days since Jinwoo’s surgery, and though he was in the clear, Bin still felt uneasy about leaving his friend in a hospital bed, unconscious and unaware that his husband had been taken in for questioning. And Myungjun had been beside himself, hardly able to talk to the lawyer and detectives. His mind remained focused solely on Jinwoo.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin, who had stayed with Myungjun every step of the way and had only taken a quick break to answer Dongmin’s frantic calls, glanced back into the cell where Myungjun was still being detained. No charges had yet been made, and Bin was honestly still shocked they were keeping him at the station, but he supposed his connection to the witch made everyone a little bit more suspicious. Hopefully, with Jinwoo awake, they would recognize that Myungjun had merely been under the influence of the witch’s powers and then they would release him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is he talking?” Bin asked, keeping his voice low so Myungjun could not overhear the conversation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They’re removing some tubing so he’ll be able to soon, but he’s already indicated he wants to see Myungjun and his kids.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The kids were being watched by Myungjun’s parents, who remained at the house and kept calling every five minutes in order to be updated on their son’s charges and their son-in-law’s condition. They were doting parents, but Bin felt quite overwhelmed with all of the questions being thrown his way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m still working with the lawyer to get him out of here,” Bin murmured. “I don’t know why Jinwoo’s colleagues are so determined to lock up his husband.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think they’re just scared,” Dongmin replied. “But once Jinwoo can talk, he’ll put it all straight.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Now you have to explain his husband’s in jail.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin sighed heavily. He was no good at delivering such news, even to friends. He was too blunt, too straightforward, and while it was usually helpful in such situations, Bin knew they needed to be gentle with such information.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you want, you can put me on the phone whenever you decide to tell him,” Bin offered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, I can do it. I have to get better at this sort of thing, anyway.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Babe, it’s been </span>
  <em>
    <span>years</span>
  </em>
  <span> and you still suck at comforting people.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s been years and you still suck at…” Dongmin trailed off before snapping, “You just still suck.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin couldn’t help but laugh, relief making him giddy with joy. “You can’t come up with anything I suck at, can you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I bet I could,” Dongmin grumbled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why don’t you do that, then, while you wait for Jinwoo to talk to you,” Bin suggested. “Meanwhile, I’ve got a very sad Myungjun to go and cheer up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright.” Bin could almost hear Dongmin’s smile on the other end. “I’m gonna call Myungjun’s parents to let them know. I texted Sanha and he’s on his way over with Minhyuk already.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Knowing that Jinwoo would have his friends and family around him was good enough for Bin. Though Myungjun might have been unable to be there, at least Jinwoo would have all of the others. Besides, if they could get everything wrapped up quickly, then perhaps Myungjun would be able to visit Jinwoo by the end of the day.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin exchanged a few more words with Dongmin before hanging up the phone and instantly making his way over to Myungjun’s cell. Myungjun glanced up at him, then stood when he noticed the smile plastered on Bin’s face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before Myungjun could say anything, Bin announced, “Jinwoo’s awake.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s awake?” Myungjun repeated, his eyes brightening. “Is he okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. Dongmin said the doctors will remove his tubing and he should be able to talk soon, and I suspect once he does talk he’ll demand for your release. Then I can take you to go see him and after he fully recovers, you can go home and everything will be fine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun smiled -- </span>
  <em>
    <span>finally</span>
  </em>
  <span>, a smile -- and nodded his head. “Any chance I can get out of here before then to go and see him?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not right now,” Bin replied. “Your lawyer is working hard, though. She’s challenging the junior detective with everything she’s got, and I have the feeling he’ll break soon. I mean, honestly they have nothing at all on you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But I--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You were under the control of a witch the entire time,” Bin reminded him, sticking with their earlier lie. He knew Myungjun would still be let off the hook if he had been blackmailed, but it would likely take longer to work out, and then they would have to explain what the blackmail was and why </span>
  <em>
    <span>Myungjun</span>
  </em>
  <span> had been chosen. If they explained that, then Myungjun’s powers would be out in the open, and Jinwoo would likely be prosecuted for being a witch. It was better, in this instance, to keep it quiet and to focus on the lie, instead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Besides, it wasn’t as if Bin and Dongmin hadn’t crafted lies before in other cases. Hell, Dongmin’s entire career was built on a lie. There was hardly any other way for magic users to make a living if they didn’t lie.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun closed his mouth, understanding Bin’s words, and he nodded his head once again. “I just...god, I wanna get out and see him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know,” Bin assured him. “But Dongmin’s with him right now, so at least he’s not alone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dongmin’s with him?” Myungjun chuckled. “I’ll bet their conversations will be </span>
  <em>
    <span>stimulating</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey. Dongmin isn’t that boring. He and Jinwoo get along well.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s a reason they get along so well, I guess,” Myungjun joked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin couldn’t help but smile again. “That’s the first joke I’ve heard you make since you got here!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun rolled his eyes. “Are you even surprised that I wouldn’t want to make jokes considering the circumstances?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not surprised, no. I guess I’m just not used to your sad face. It looks unnatural on you, almost alien-like.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks,” said Myungjun, a bit dryly. “How’re the kids? Do they know Jinwoo’s awake?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No clue. Dongmin’s calling your parents to tell them, so they’ll probably head over with the kids.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He couldn’t imagine how Myungjun must feel, torn away from his family during Jinwoo’s recovery. He looked antsy, inside of that tiny cell, almost as if he would dart the moment the doors opened and run to the hospital himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin, in an effort to make things right until his release, asked, “Would you like to do some sort of video call until you’re able to get over there?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you allowed to do that? They took my cellphone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m a police chief, and your husband is head detective; I think we can get away with more than other people can.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “Using your job as a way to gain privileges for prisoners. Naughty, naughty.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“First off, you aren’t a prisoner. Second off, you shouldn’t be detained for this long when it’s obvious you had been coerced and bewitched.” Bin sighed and tapped on the bars of the cell before adding, “Maybe I should bully the junior detective into releasing you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If I’m not released soon, I might bully them myself.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You keep your mouth shut,” Bin ordered. “We have a lawyer to talk for you.” Still, he smiled anyway, pleased things were working out. “Let me see about setting up a video call for you and Jinwoo, alright? Hold tight.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun beamed, and Bin felt like things were finally returning back to normal.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The car ride to the hospital was exhilarating. It was slow, sure, marred by the county’s terrible roads and sharp turns, but Bin was too positive to focus on anything pessimistic. Myungjun was in the passenger seat, singing along to some tunes as he celebrated both his freedom and Jinwoo’s recovery. After a few days of such doom and gloom, Bin was thankful that everything was finally returning back to normal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun had been released from jail. With Jinwoo’s word that Myungjun had only acted under control of witchcraft and lack of evidence pointing to anything else, the police had no more reason to keep him. The witch was dead, his accomplices were caught, and his other necromancer had been taken off life support.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin, fishing for information about the necromancer, decided to bring him up while things were looking optimistic.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you okay with that other necromancer dying?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun stopped singing to instantly answer, “Yeah.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I met him years ago. That’s how we knew each other, actually. He implied my powers were better spent elsewhere. I wanted to help people, to assist them with dead plants or animals, and he wanted to destroy people. He felt...he felt as if he was too much of an outcast to offer normal people any assistance.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin swallowed thickly. All of the problems with the magic users tended to stem from their social status. If they were constantly cast aside and treated as diseased or abnormal, then it was obvious they would eventually lash out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How do you feel about his reasoning?” Bin inquired. “And, for that matter, how do you feel about the witch’s reasoning?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun’s fingers tapped along the car door and he eventually shrugged his shoulders. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t think they’re necessarily wrong. I mean...I’ve experienced the punishments society hands out to magic users. Jinwoo -- god, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Jinwoo</span>
  </em>
  <span>, especially, had a traumatic past. He was treated poorly simply because of something he cannot control. I honestly believe the only reason Jinwoo managed to not do the same thing as Youngwoong is because he was taught that he was lower than dirt, and he truly believed that he was less of a human. The others, though, the witch and the necromancer, they didn’t believe that, so they fought back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin recalled Dongmin’s insecurities growing up. Dongmin had seen how terribly the other magic users were treated, and he kept hidden his own magic in fear he would soon be treated the same. Then, when he was brave enough to tell his mother, he was cast out and his mother only saw a monster in place of her son. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He gripped at the steering wheel, thinking of how awful his friends’ lives had been. All of them had been affected in one way or another by magic. Bin, so far, was the only one who managed to escape unscathed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think there needs to be a change,” Myungjun said. “Maybe the witch had good ideas. Maybe he was right. I just don’t think that change needs to involve hurting innocent people and threatening magic users who disagree with such methods.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right,” Bin agreed, nodding his head. “I can’t believe they blackmailed you into offering assistance.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can. Magic users like them are desperate. They’re willing to do anything in order to finally gain the same respect as a human.” Myungjun sighed. “Maybe one day it will happen. Maybe not in my lifetime, but maybe my children will be able to see a world where magic users and regular humans can live in harmony.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You think?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The younger generation seem a </span>
  <em>
    <span>bit</span>
  </em>
  <span> more open to the idea of magic users.” Myungjun shrugged his shoulders again but offered Bin a light smile. “We’ll see. For now, though, I don’t care about any of that. I just wanna see Jinwoo. You should speed up, no one will pull over a police chief.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun had a point, and so Bin, returning the smile, did speed up as he passed over winding, bumpy roads. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They made it to the hospital in record time, and Myungjun hardly waited for the car to park before freeing himself from the seat belt and opening his door. Bin followed him inside, hot on his heels, and was able to witness the moment Myungjun caught sight of his children and his parents.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Woojin was the first to reach him, jumping into his arms with a loud, “Dad!” Soojin toddled after him, and Myungjun’s parents reached over to embrace him. His father seemed particularly overwhelmed and Bin looked away when he was certain he saw a few tears leak from his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun extracted himself from the hug quickly. He still held Woojin and he kept his other arm wrapped around Soojin, but he asked his parents, “Which room is he in?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can take you,” Bin said. He bowed quickly to Myungjun’s parents as a way of greeting.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before they could leave, Myungjun’s father was quick to ask, “Once you see him, can we eat lunch together? I’m sure Minhyuk can watch your kids again, we should just talk about what happened.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s right,” Myungjun’s mother pointed out. “We don’t know much right now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myugnjun grinned and nodded his head. “Yeah. I’m sure Minhyuk won’t mind being a babysitter for the sixth time, will he?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At least he got a laugh from his father, who still seemed liable to start sobbing at any moment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Myungjun didn’t stick around, though; he instantly began to walk down the hallway, and Bin hurried after him to give directions, and to pick up Soojin, who appeared to be slowing Myungjun in his rushed walk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finally, they arrived at Jinwoo’s door, and Myungjun didn’t waste a single moment. He swung the door opened and stepped inside, taking a shuddering breath as he gazed over at his husband.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin glanced over at Dongmin, who raised his eyebrows and gestured at the kids. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Are you supposed to be watching them during this heartfelt reunion?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Dongmin seemed to say.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin nodded, and Dongmin rolled his eyes, though his lips quirked upward in a smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come on,” Bin whispered to Woojin, snatching him from Myungjun’s arms with his free hand. He decided he really ought to work out more; the kids were quite heavy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wanna see Dad,” Woojin pouted, reaching out for his father, who patted him on the head gently.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let me talk to Daddy first,” Myungjun murmured back, trying his best to blink away his own tears as he faced the consequences of his actions. “You and Soojin hang out with Bin and Dongmin for a bit, okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Woojin cupped his hands over his mouth and whispered accusingly, “Dongmin is boring.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I heard that,” Dongmin grumbled, and Woojin giggled before wriggling out of Bin’s hold and sliding to the floor. He rushed over to Dongmin, offering his own apologies, and Myungjun was free to then focus all of his attention onto Jinwoo.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin waited for Dongmin and Woojin to rejoin him, and as he waited, he took a moment to glance over at Myungjun and Jinwoo. Jinwoo was propped up in his bed and he reached a hand over to grasp onto Myungjun, who hugged him loosely, apologies spilling from his lips. Jinwoo planted a small kiss onto his cheek and whispered something back, but by that time, Dongmin was ushering Woojin out of the door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin followed him and once they were in the hallway, Dongmin finally sighed and asked, “So his case is cleared up now?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mostly, yeah,” Bin said, nodding his head. “They had to release him and the lawyer will talk to the police a bit more, but because even Jinwoo stated that he did nothing wrong, then he’s free to go.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank god,” Dongmin murmured.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Woojin, still very clearly disappointed at having been dragged from his father so soon after their reunion, looked liable to cry at any moment. Bin knew he should give Myungjun and Jinwoo time to discuss current events and Woojin’s sobs would only get in the way of that, so he was quick to grab onto Woojin’s shoulder and announce, “Who wants ice cream?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With watery eyes, Woojin glanced up at Bin. “Ice cream?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yep!” Bin announced, winking at Dongmin. “Let’s go get some ice cream since you and Soojin have been so good recently!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After that, Woojin seemed to cheer up, and after signing </span>
  <em>
    <span>ice cream</span>
  </em>
  <span> to Soojin, she looked equally delighted. Bin and Dongmin found an ice cream shop near the hospital, and the kids were able to eat their cones at a small table while Bin and Dongmin watched over them and talked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’ll take a few more days to heal in the hospital,” Dongmin said, keeping his voice down. “The doctor said he’ll probably get to go home next week, but even after that he’s under strict orders to rest and take it easy. Myungjun’s parents will stay with them to help out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s nice of them,” Bin muttered, noting the envious look in Dongmin’s eyes. Dongmin had hardly known his father, and he hadn’t spoken to his mother since he was a young adult. He was obviously jealous over the close relationship Myungjun shared with both of his parents.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not wanting his boyfriend to feel so poorly, Bin nudged his shoulder and teased, “You think we’re done fighting witches?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“God, I hope so,” Dongmin groaned. “I just want to clear this case up and then sleep for a few years. I feel like we’re getting too old to keep doing this.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin snorted. “You? Old? Please, Minnie, I think you’re eternally young. Though you won’t be if you keep scrunching up your forehead like that. Stop it.” He swiped a finger across Dongmin’s head, and Dongmin smacked his hand away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>thinking</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Dongmin fussed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You always think. Take some time off from thinking.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then I’d be far too much like you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin giggled and reached for Dongmin’s hand, instead. Dongmin accepted that, at least, though he still appeared to be considering something he had not yet spoken about.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bin waited for a few seconds, then asked, “What is it? Did we miss something with this case?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not exactly,” Dongmin murmured. “It’s...oh, it’s really stupid.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I love stupid. Tell me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin glanced over at the kids, to where Woojin was wiping his sticky mouth with a messy napkin and Soojin had allowed her ice cream to drip all over her clothes. He sighed and propped his hand underneath his chin, allowing a few more seconds to pass before he spoke.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s get married one day.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh.” Bin wasn’t sure what else to say. Dongmin’s ears were growing red and he still refused to look over. “You wanna get married, Min?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just…” Dongmin swallowed thickly. “Myungjun and Jinwoo got married and they can still work. Plus, they have kids. And, yeah, I’m not used to kids, but if we’re married it’ll be easier to adopt through an agency--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You...you wanna get married and have kids?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you’re going to laugh at me, I’ll kick you,” Dongmin warned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why on earth would I </span>
  <em>
    <span>laugh?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Bin grinned and forced Dongmin’s attention over to him, where he could properly speak to his boyfriend. “You wanna marry </span>
  <em>
    <span>me!</span>
  </em>
  <span> You wanna get married to me and adopt some kids and lead a disgustingly domestic life! Whatever happened to your dislike of the institution of marriage? Whatever happened to your adamant belief that kids are disgusting? Whatever happened to your idea that work is the most important--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I could’ve died,” Dongmin whispered, glancing down at the table. “You could’ve died. And I had so many regrets. I want...I want to get married and...I love you and I just--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re getting emotional,” Bin said, passing over a handful of napkins as Dongmin’s voice broke. Dongmin nodded his head and rubbed angrily at his eyes, and Bin continued, “You know I’d marry you in an instant. But let’s get through this first and then, if you still want to, you can properly propose to me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dongmin sniffled and asked, “If I don’t want to?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Would you change your mind so readily?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I might.” Dongmin took a deep breath and pushed the napkins aside. He already looked like he had never cried in his life. Dammit, how was he so beautiful? “If you keep behaving like a moron, I might take back my proposal.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Understood.” Bin smiled widely. “I’ll be on my best behavior from now on.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But he wasn’t; Dongmin took the proposal back eight minutes later, after Bin ordered a triple scoop of chocolate and drizzled that with extra chocolate sauce.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hit me up on my twitter page <a href="https://twitter.com/thevonseal">@vonseal</a> for spoilers and general nonsense.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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